


Treasure in the Tavern

by DancingAnya



Series: Treasure (YOI) [2]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha Victor Nikiforov, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Magic-Users, Multi, Omega Katsuki Yuuri, Omega Verse, Prince Victor Nikiforov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2018-10-05 03:50:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 50,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10296815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DancingAnya/pseuds/DancingAnya
Summary: Yuuri is what most people call a treasure. As one of a very, very small population of male omegas, people would actually kill to get their hands on him. But he doesn’t want that. After running away from his fate of marrying the prince of Grande, Victor Nikiforov, Yuuri dedicates his life to magic: a skill forbidden for his kind. He runs a small tavern and keeps mostly to himself in a secluded town. But what happens when he comes face-to-face with the man himself? How will he keep his freedom when the world only wants him tied down?Or...Magic AU with alpha/beta/omega dynamics. Omegas are rare and forbidden from performing magic, and male omegas are hardly even known of. Katsuki Yuuri, a male omega, was going to be given to Victor Nikiforov, the crowned alpha prince, before he ran away and started his own tavern.





	1. The Beginning

Yuuri was twelve when his home village was plundered and destroyed. Hasetsu was a port town by the ocean that brought the country of Grande many foreign goods and profit. Though small, Hasetsu was a flourishing community with happy residents. Aside from the capital, it was the king's pride and joy. Yuuri could still remember the day vividly, as if it had only just happened. 

"Search every inch of this place! We aren't leaving until we've got every bit of their wealth, boys!" The alpha leader of their band wailed, eyes blazing with insanity, "Kill the alphas and betas, but keep the omegas. If I find out one of you killed an omega, I'll have your throat. Their sale value is worth more than your life."  


The band of alphas and betas screeching in understanding dispersed quickly throughout the streets. Yuuri watched on in horror, knowing what would happen if he was found. At the age of twelve, Yuuri had only just presented as an omega. Omegas were a rarity, with only a couple hundred in his two-thousand person village. However, male omegas were even rarer, and he was the only one that he knew of that resided in Hasetsu. If he was found, he would almost certainly be sold to a high-status alpha for his sweet smell and fertility. Or kept as the pirates’ personal slave. Neither option was good, and Yuuri searched hastily for a place to hide. His alpha father and beta mother had already run out to defend the village, leaving Yuuri with his alpha sister Mari in their family inn. The inn was well protected through his father's strong protective spells, but Yuuri knew that they couldn't last forever. Mari pulled him quickly through the inn, trying to get to the safest possible place. If one of those pirates caught even a whiff of Yuuri's alluring scent, they were as good as dead.  


Mari led them into the bath house section, hoping that the locking doors would at least put them off for a moment. She turned to Yuuri.  
"Yuuri," She said, voice shaking with fear, "I don't know what's about to happen, but I want to make one thing perfectly clear: you are who you choose to be. You are not just a weak omega. You are not just good for breeding. You are more than that. No matter what happens or what they do to you, you are strong. You are worth more than anything anyone could possibly imagine because of who you are on the inside, okay? Do you understand?"  


Yuuri nodded quickly, tears welling up in his eyes. He hugged his sister tightly, never wanting to let go. His sister hardly ever showed that much emotion, so Yuuri knew she thought that only the worst was to come. His tears continued.  


"Okay," She said while pulling away, "we need to find a way-"  


She was cut off by the breaking of the door followed by two beta pirates storming in. They found the two and smirked.  


"An omega," one sneered with pride. They stepped towards the duo and grabbed them, and one held his knife up to Yuuri's neck. He was about to slice his flesh when the other yelled.  


"Wait!"  


"What?"  


The first pirate leaned in and took a big scent of Yuuri's neck before his eyes widened with a mixture of shock and delight.  


"This girl is the alpha, he's the omega."  


The two pirates looked at each other and cheered, "Boss will be thrilled! We'll move up the ranks!"  


They laughed with one another before Mari struggled and tried to get free, "No! Let him go!"  


"Quiet, alpha," one sneered before snapping her neck. She fell to the floor, right in front of Yuuri's eyes. Yuuri couldn't breathe. The two pirates kept talking as if they hadn't just taken the life of his only sister. Yuuri screamed, tears running quickly from his eyes. One of the pirates slapped his hand across his mouth, silencing his wails.  


"You might want to save your screams for later, omega," one chuckled as they dragged him away from the onsen.  


"Just be grateful that you weren't found by some alphas because you wouldn't have made it out of here pure."  


They drug Yuuri's limp body through the streets as flames engulfed his hometown. He soon found them to be approaching one of the pirates' big boats, with the captain shouting orders at a group of men with arms full of gold chests.  


“Hey, boss!” the two beta pirates yelled. Their boss turned, seeming angry that someone was yelling at him.  


“What?! This better be good.”  


“Look what we found,” one said before throwing Yuuri at the feet of the alpha captain. For a few long moments, he said nothing. Soon, however, a long, traumatizing laugh came slowly from his throat.  


“Oh, boy, am I smelling this correctly?” he chuckled.  


The two pirates nodded eagerly, “Yep, it's a male omega. I never thought I'd see the day where we’d find one that wasn't in the possession of a noble. His family must’ve been stupid to skip out on that fortune.”  


The pirate captain leaned down to grab Yuuri by his face, making him look into his wicked eyes, “We are going to have a lot of fun, little omega.” When Yuuri didn't respond, he grew angry, “It's impolite to not respond to your alpha.”  


“Of course,” Yuuri gritted out through his anger and terror. The pirate gripped his face harder. “Of course… Alpha.”  
The pirate grinned, “Better.”  


He turned away, indicating for Yuuri to follow him. His feet barely worked, only moving when he realised he would only have it worse if he disobeyed. This might have been the end for Yuuri if it hadn't been for the arrow that suddenly sprouted from the pirate captain’s back. He howled in pain.  


“Stop, monster!” a valiant voice sounded in the distance. Everyone turned to see the king of Grande and his mage-knights standing tall on the hill behind them, seeming darker and more terrifying in the light of the burning town.  


The fight lasted for hours, and Yuuri sustained his fair amount of injuries. Pirates and mage-knights alike fell in battle, but, in the end, the mage-knights were successful in pushing them back to the seas. The pirate captain and many taken omegas got away with them, but Yuuri was left on the land.  


“Round up the survivors,” the king spoke to his men, “Tend to the wounded and reconvene at the camp spot over the hill.”  


The mage-knights set to work, finding victims and taking them away from the burning city. Yuuri lay on the ground near the docks, having sustained an arm injury that was bleeding. He was soon found by none other than the alpha king of Grande, who rushed when he saw him.  


“There, there little one,” he spoke before lifting Yuuri into his arms, “Let's get you back to the camp-” he froze mid-sentence, eyes widening with shock, “You're an omega,” he breathed.  


Yuuri grew scared. If that night had taught him anything, it was that he couldn't trust alphas. He struggled to get out of the king’s grasp, almost falling back onto the ground.  


“Woah, woah, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry, I should have minded your feelings. I promise that you are safe with us,” the king spoke softly. Yuuri didn't know if the king was using a command spell or not, but something in his voice made him relax back into his arms. The king kept his word and carried the omega to the camp where others were being treated. He laid him down near a healer and let them work their magic. Soon, Yuuri was feeling better and lying on a bed near a fire, drifting off to sleep.

_________________

The king and his mage-knights were taking the survivors back to the capital to be taken care of a few days later. Out of the two-thousand person village, only a couple hundred omegas and beta and a generous handful alphas survived the ambush. Yuuri looked hastily through the crowds, hoping to catch a glimpse of his mother or father, but he never did.  


The trek to the capital wouldn't take long for the king and his mage-knights, but it did take longer with the large group of refugees. Not all of them knew magic, especially the omegas like Yuuri who were forbidden from using it, so they couldn't move very quickly. Yuuri was thankful that his parents, like many other parents of boys, didn't wait til he presented to see of he if he was an omega. Many parents assumed that their boys were betas or alphas, so they let them start their training early. Yuuri only knew the basics, but that was more than his female counterparts.  


The king had been busy those passing days, trying to keep everyone in order. He visited with every single survivor at least once to make sure they were okay. Yuuri was thankful that the king was so kind to all of them, even the omegas. He wanted to thank the king in person for helping him that night, so, one evening as the king and his mage-knights were sitting around their fire, he came up close to them. He stopped when he heard them talking.  


“What are you planning on doing with all the refugees, your majesty?”  


“Bring them back to the capital and try to find them jobs if they wish to stay there. The castle needs more staff anyways and the people of that town were always heralded as trustworthy and hardworking. It'll be good to have some more omegas around the city as well, they are still heavily outnumbered.”  
“What about the orphans?”  


“We will try to see what they wish to do. We can ask the alpha and beta children if they want to join the order of the mage-knights and begin their training. The unpresented children and omegas will probably be sent to orphanages or other homes until they are old enough.”  


The mage-knights talked among themselves about the plans, and Yuuri's nervous heart was put at ease. He was about to approach the king finally when one mage-knight spoke up above the others.  


“What about the omega boy, your majesty?”  


Yuuri froze. He almost didn't want to hear the answer to the question, heart pounding hard in his chest. The king didn't speak for a few moments, but his voice eventually rose above the deafening silence.  


“I was… thinking. You know, there aren't any unclaimed male omegas at the capital. And, as far as I know, there aren't any in the whole of Grande. This boy is at the age where he may be a good match for my son Victor.”  


Yuuri's blood ran cold. This couldn't be happening.  


“So I was thinking that I would take him to the castle and introduce the two. I know that Vitya is only fifteen, but this kind of opportunity only happens once in a lifetime.”  


One of the mage-knights snickered, “Well isn't Vitya just the luckiest little boy, eh? I'm jealous if I do say so myself.” Many of the knights laughed in agreement.  


“Your Majesty,” a woman's voice spoke above them.  


“Yes, Knight Minako?”  


“If I may, I don't believe that is the proper thing to do. You're giving all the omega girls the chance to leave and find their own mates, so why force this poor boy to do the same?”  


“If I don't do it, someone else will. This is better than him being captured and sold to some stranger, no?”  
“But sir-”  


“No. This is the end of this discussion,” the king spoke with a command spell in his voice. The lady knight bowed her head reluctantly.  
“Of course.”  


Yuuri didn't know what to do. He couldn't just go and be the prince’s mate, he just couldn't. His sister’s parting words sounded in his head.  
You are who you choose to be.  


Yuuri knew he didn't want to just be the mate to some stuck-up prince. He was more than that. He deserved better.  
So lost in thought, Yuuri didn't even notice the lady knight storm away from the fire right in his direction until she noticed him too. They stared at each other for a few moments, understanding registering in her eyes. She motioned for him to follow her, and Yuuri walked with her to her tent. She turned towards him when they were inside.  


“We don't have much time, so pay attention. I'm assuming you don't want to be the prince’s mate.”  


Yuuri nodded quickly, still curious as to why this beta wanted to help him.  


“That's what I thought. Take these,” She said, shoving two books into his hands, “One is a magic spellbook. Take it and learn everything you possibly can about magic. The smaller one is my journal. Inside, you'll find spells to help you specifically with omega-related problems. Scent masking, heat suppressants, survival skills. Everything you need is right there. Take them and run.”  


“W-why are you helping me?” he asked, still cautious of the new woman.  


“Because, I was just like you once. Promised to a noble who I had never met simply because I was an omega. So I ran. It's not going to be easy. When they discover that you are gone in the morning, they will look for you. Run as far and as fast as you can. Don't look back. Am I clear?”  
Yuuri nodded quickly, eyes still wide with fear. Then he ran. He ran and he ran and he ran until he collapsed in the light of the rising sun, books clutched tightly in his arms.  


You are who you choose to be.


	2. Yutopia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years later... Prince Victor Nikiforov is feeling a bit down.

Ten years later… 

The flash of magic made contact with Victor’s face, sending him flying backward. A taunting voice laughed at his distress, angering him further. 

“Give up yet, Nikiforov?” It asked.

“I would never lose to you, Giacometti.” 

The mage-knight shrugged and began to summon another fire attack, hoping to end the scrimmage right there. Before he could finish, Victor called for and sent a shower of ice crystals right at the younger alpha. He was knocked off his feet. Before he could get back up, he found himself on the wrong end of Victor’s sword which was held against his throat. The man huffed with annoyance, knowing that this was the end of his battle. 

“Alright, alright. I give up.” 

Victor laughed and helped his friend to his feet, brushing ice shards off his armor.

“You put up a good fight, Chris.” 

“Not good enough, apparently,” Chris moaned as he found his balance, “One of these days, I will beat you. Mark my words.” 

“We will see.” 

The two made their way through the castle that had been their home for their whole lives. Victor, being the prince of Grande and soon-to-be king, would one day take over their home and the kingdom alongside it. Chris, an honorable alpha member of the mage-knights, would fight alongside him to secure safety and flourishment for the people of their country. While they were of completely different ranks in the real world, they thought of each other as equals. The two slowly made their way to the healers’ quarters, talking along the way. 

“I can only hope that the neighboring king’s visit goes smoother than the last… Victor? Are you listening to me?” 

Victor snapped out of his daze, “I’m sorry, please continue.” 

“Has something been bothering you recently? You’re mind seems to be elsewhere.” 

Victor sighed, “I suppose. With the upcoming visit of King Jean-Jacques and the growing number of bandit attacks, my father has been working me to the bone. I know he is preparing me for my coronation, but I’m starting to feel the pressure.” 

“And to think,” Chris mumbled, “The work will only grow when you are crowned king.” 

Victor groaned in response, “I suppose it will.” 

Chris suddenly stopped walking, eyes lit up with excitement, “I know just what you need. Let’s go out and get some good liquor.” 

“Chris, you know I can’t go anywhere without the guards or townspeople noticing. As much as I’d love to go out with you, I can’t.”

“Of course! That’s why we aren’t going anywhere in the capital.” 

Victor gave his friend a confused face, “What do you mean?” 

“There’s a tavern a few towns over that my team of knights and I stop at every time we are in the area. It’s got the best booze and plenty of beautiful omegas. It’s a long walk, even by horse, but I think I know someone who’s got a knack for teleportation,” Chris said suggestively while nudging Victor’s chest. Victor rolled his eyes. It was just like Chris to try to use his distress as a way to get good booze. 

“I’m not sure…”

“What do you have to lose? No one will recognise you, and we can be back before sunrise.”

Victor contemplated the proposition. He knew that it was a terrible idea, but, in the back of his mind, the temptation of good booze was beginning to outweigh the downsides. 

“Alright,” Victor finally decided, “but this place better be just as good as you claim.” 

Chris smiled at his victory before grabbing Victor by the arm. 

“Trust me, you’ll love it.”

The two made their way towards the war room, the closest place with a map of the whole of Grande, and Chris examined it furiously.

“There,” Chris said, pointing to a small town, “Detrot. That’s where it is.” 

Victor studied the location closely. He closed his eyes and began to do the hand movements necessary to begin the teleportation spell. 

“And just what do you two think you’re doing?” A new voice sounded from behind them. 

The duo turned quickly to see Minako, a long-term mage-knight standing in the doorway. As typical to her nature, she held a bottle of gin in one hand that seemed to be half empty. She was one of the strongest betas that Victor knew and held a high place in the order of the mage-knights. His father held her opinion in the highest esteem. 

“Oh, hello, General. Fancy seeing you here…” Chris started, trying to think of an excuse. 

She raised her eyebrows suspiciously, “You didn’t answer my question.” 

Victor sighed in defeat, “We were going to go out in a nearby town. Please, don’t tell Father. He’d have my head if he thought I was sneaking about.” 

Minako looked at them a bit before smirking to herself, “Sneaking about? I don’t know anything of the sort.” She turned away from the door and began to leave, “If you two come back reeking of omega, I can’t save you from the consequences.” With that, she stumbled away, still drinking from her bottle. 

Chris looked back to Victor with a smile, gesturing back to the map. Minako had always been a bit of a rebel, normally having the prince's back when he was getting into mischief. Victor quickly went about with his spell, trying to hurry before anyone else could interrupt. He soon found himself in a small village in the middle of a forest. Small thatch houses that had plenty of room between each other stood tall in the darkness. Without the magical ever-burning lights present along the capital’s streets, the town was lit only with the crude use of fire. In the dark of night, it made the quaint village seem as if it were glowing. 

“This way,” Chris spoke before leading Victor down the cobble streets. He soon came up to a small building near the edge of the town that was lit magically. It was the only one in the town, Victor noted. Soft music could be heard coming from the inside, instantly filling Victor with a feeling of comfort. Chris turned to face him, “Welcome to Yutopia,” He said before opening the door. Victor was astounded. The tavern had seemed to pull in most of the residents of the small town and more. The strong scent of omegas hit Victor’s nose, surprising him. Most omega’s used scent-blocking magic to suppress their smell a bit. Why were these omega’s not using it?

Chris pulled Victor to a table and waved over a beta man. He came over with a smile on his face, "What can I get for you?" 

“Two drinks please,” Chris spoke. The beta man nodded and headed towards the bar, showing off three small rodents hanging from his cloak. 

Victor leaned in towards Chris, “He has familiars. He must be a skilled wizard.” 

Chris waved off his comment, “The residing alpha of this tavern is one of the only magic-wielders in this town. It makes sense that he would take in others. Don’t worry about it.” 

This did little to settle Victor’s worries, but he didn’t push the topic. 

The man soon came back and handed the two their drinks. They drank merrily, talking to themselves above the music from the local band. Music was a magic in itself, and, despite the town’s apparent lack of magic-wielders, this lot wasn’t too bad. Their magic filled Victor with contentment, and he soon found himself having fun. The company of strangers had never been in Victor’s interests before, but the people dancing around him made Victor want to join in the fun. Omegas and alphas alike danced among each other, something not commonly seen at the capital. In fact, omegas hardly ever ventured out after dark in the capital for fear of aggressive alphas wandering about at night. For the first time in awhile, Victor found himself having fun. He danced and drank and laughed with the others taking advantage of the lovely tavern. The impending visitation and growing bandit numbers seemed to be only a distant memory. 

A bit further into the night, an omega woman approached Victor. Her low-cut dress and expensive jewelry made the only slightly-sober Victor’s internal alarm go off. She put a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it slowly. 

“Hey, alpha,” she spoke softly, “Wanna get out of here?” 

Victor turned his head dismissively, “No.” 

Her smile turned into a frown, seeming insulted. She rolled her eyes before moving on to the next table as if she hadn’t even been there. Victor’s comrade looked at him with questioning eyes. 

“Why do you turn down everyone who wants to talk to you?” Chris asked, “You’re almost twenty-six. You could have had a mate years ago.” 

Victor ignored the comment. Although it was embarrassing to admit, Victor knew the reason he never wanted to find a lover. 

~Ten years earlier~

“Father!” Victor yelled as he saw the king and the mage-knights approaching. He ran into his arms and gave him a huge hug. His father had only just gotten back from the siege on Hasetsu, and Victor was happy to see him returned home safely. The king looked at him with sadness in his eyes. “What’s wrong?” Victor asked with growing concern. 

“I’m sorry, Victor, for being so late to come home.” 

“It’s fine, I understand!” Victor beamed, “Sir Yakov said you were looking for somebody who got lost. Did you find them alright?” 

The king looked down, not meeting his son’s eyes, “No. I’m afraid we didn’t.” 

“Why are you so sad, father? Were they a friend of yours?” 

The king took in a deep breath, “No. The person we lost was very special. An omega boy. Just like your papa. I wanted to bring him here to meet you.” 

Victor’s eyes widened, “Just like you and papa?” 

The king nodded.

“But for me?” 

He nodded again. Victor’s smile soon faded. 

“We did find a scrap of his robe, but we have no idea what happened to him. We have search parties looking all over the country. He’s an omega, so the possibilities of him being found by someone who wants to hurt him are too high. I’m sorry, Victor.”

The king handed the fabric over to Victor, who took one scent and was completely entranced by the aroma. It was faint and muddled with others, but he could still pick it out. Victor instantly wanted to smell it again. After a few moments, and a concerned face from his father, Victor found his words. 

“W-What was his name?” 

“Yuuri,” the king said sadly, “I think he was about thirteen. Maybe a bit younger.” 

“Yuuri,” Victor whispered, tears beginning to form in his eyes. Everything in him told him that the scent was special and that he could never leave it. He clutched the fabric tightly, going to his room so no one could see him mourn the loss of a boy he never even knew. 

~ Presant ~

He thought back to the scent of the fabric piece his father had given him so many years ago. He still had it, despite the smell wearing away over time. Every time someone advanced on him, he involuntarily thought back to that scent. He knew that he couldn’t have anyone else even though he had never met the smell’s owner. It was pitiful, but he learned to get over his despair. 

Chris shrugged off his friend’s dismissal, going back to a conversation he was having with a beta woman. Victor sat staring at his drink. He knew he was being ridiculous, but he never felt right with any other person. It was as if his instincts wouldn’t let him be. 

A scream sounded from across the tavern. Victor and his companions all turned to see the omega woman from before struggling to get out of an alpha’s grasp.

“C’mon, baby-” his slurred voice spoke, “You were all over ev'ry one else. What’s it matter ta ya?” 

“No!” She yelled, “Let me go!” 

A few people around Victor snickered. 

“He must be a visitor,” one laughed. 

Victor couldn’t see what was so funny about the situation. He began to walk over to where the commotion was coming from but was stopped by Chris. 

“Don’t draw attention to yourself,” He hissed, “Besides, she was going around asking everyone else. It’ll be fine.” 

Victor couldn’t look away, but he knew Chris was right. If he got in a fight now, he had the chance of blowing his cover. He turned back to his friend. 

His new companions seemed very interested in what was happening, but none of them lifted a finger to help. They smiled coyly, filling Victor with a sick feeling. How could they be okay with this? And laughing nonetheless. 

Victor’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash followed by a groan. He quickly turned to see the man on the ground, smoke rising from his cloak. 

“Wha’ the-” He spoke before a towering figure stood over him. This alpha radiated power, so much so that Victor almost coward away. The man tried crawling away, but was soon dragged back by an invisible force. He was pulled up to meet the new alpha’s face. 

“Get out of my pub,” a powerful voice spoke. 

The intoxicated man seemed to only get more angry, “How dare ya! Don’t cha’ know who I am!?” 

“I don’t care if you’re the damn king of Grande. My tavern is a safe place, and you are endangering a customer. Leave.” 

The man didn’t move. 

“NOW!” 

In a flash, the man was gone. The whole tavern burst into cheers, clinking together their glasses and taking huge swigs of their drinks. The band started up and even more lively song, but Victor couldn’t process what he had just seen. The alpha went to his place behind the counter, as if nothing had ever happened. 

Chris saw Victor’s face and laughed, “That would be the residing alpha. Cuisine magic isn’t his only specialty, as you can see.” 

Victor shook off his initial shock, “I must go talk to him,” He decided aloud. 

“Then go,” Chris waved him off, “I’m going to talk to that beta man over there. I’ll see you in awhile.” 

Victor rolled his eyes at his companion’s antics. He mustered up the courage he could find and began to walk towards the barkeep. Fear formed in his chest, and he found himself wondering why he was so nervous. 

“I am a prince,” He whispered to himself, “I've battled ogres and pirates. This is no big deal.” 

He found himself at the bar, and, before he could stop himself, he spoke, “Excuse me?” 

The alpha turned and Victor was met with the most beautiful face he had ever seen. For the first time in his life, Victor didn’t even think about the omega boy’s scent from all those years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god guys I can't believe the amount of support I got on the first chapter! Thanks so much to all of you! <3 I can only hope that this lived up to your expectations! This was edited purely by me, so any suggestions or corrections are appreciated!


	3. Burning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri must help when a friend is in need of assistance.

Yuuri felt a little bad, taking the name of his parents’ old inn to use for his tavern, but mostly he thought they'd appreciate it. He wondered how they'd feel, seeing their precious omega boy now using powerful magic and running a tavern under the guise of a kind alpha. He knew how his sister Mari would feel. She would be proud of the man he had become. 

Ever since Yuuri ran away from the king’s sentence of marriage, he practiced magic constantly. He learned and traveled every day, never once looking back to life he used to have. After learning how to disguise his scent to make him seem like a beta, he went into towns and entered in underground magic combat fights for money. He didn't always win, especially not at first, but he gradually got better as time went on. It was hard, but Yuuri did have a slight advantage. Unlike his fellow competitors, who only knew fighting magic, Yuuri tried to learn as many types of magic as possible. Fighting, charms, and healing were only a few of the magic categories that Yuuri specialized in. He learned soon on in his training that he also had a great fondness for cuisine magic, particularly mixology. Just like his mother, Yuuri could whip up good comfort food in minutes. Just like his father, he could make the best possible drinks to wash it all down. 

So, after he learned how to disguise his scent to make him appear as an alpha, Yuuri decided to open a tavern. 

It was a genius idea, really. Yuuri had his daytimes to practice magic and his nighttimes to watch his place. Although he couldn't travel anymore, he got to talk to people from all over about their experiences. Gossip spread quickly through the tavern, so Yuuri was quick to find out when nearby people needed help. 

But the biggest perk, in Yuuri's mind, was that he had the chance to stop omega abuse before it got out of hand. He had the only tavern in town, so most people would show up to his place. If he ever saw an alcohol-influenced alpha try to push themselves on an omega, he simply had to give them a taste of his fighting magic and tell them to get lost. 

Most of the small town heralded him as a kind alpha with supreme powers and often brought their sick and injured family members to see him. They knew he would be willing to help out anyone who needed it and had the skill to back it up. In fact, many families offered Yuuri their omega daughters as mates, to which Yuuri had to decline. Even if marrying an omega without their consent was completely against his values, he also knew that he would be caught if he were to have a mate. He couldn't let that happen. 

Though he had to admit, when he saw the alpha standing in front of him, he began to wish that that wasn’t the case. He had beautiful silver hair and a charming smile. If Yuuri didn’t know any better, he would have thought that the alpha felt the same way. 

“What can I get for you?” Yuuri asked the alpha. 

He put on a charming smile and spoke in a suave voice, “I’m curious; how did you learn to cast magic like that?” Yuuri realized he must have been referencing the spectacle he had performed only moments before by kicking an alpha man out of his tavern. 

“Practice,” Yuuri said curtly with a blank face. This question was one he got frequently, and he soon learned that people never wanted the real answer. He learned long ago that acting uninteresting made their interest dwindle quickly, but this man seemed confused by the response. He was about to make another comment before the tavern’s door flew open and three small figures charged towards Yuuri. They stopped in front of the bar. 

“Lutz, Axel, Loop, you know you aren’t allowed in here at night,” Yuuri spoke to them sternly, thinking back to previous incidents they’d had. 

“But it’s Dad!” Lutz begged, “You have to come help!” 

“What’s wrong?” Yuuri asked.

“There was a bandit attack when he was coming back to town! He made it back, but he can hardly move!”

Yuuri’s face hardened. He knew the Nishigori family well, and Takeshi wouldn’t allow for his children to see him in such pain if it wasn’t urgent. 

“Phichit!” Yuuri yelled towards the back of the shop.

Soon, Yuuri’s dear friend and apprentice peaked his head out from the back room, his hamster familiars still hanging from his bright red cloak. Although they hadn't known each other very long, he was the person that Yuuri trusted most and the only one who knew about his omega status.

“Yes?” The beta asked. 

“I’m going out for a few moments. Can you take care of the place while I’m gone?” 

“Of course,” He said. 

Leaving the handsome alpha behind, Yuuri ran to follow the triplets as they dashed across the cobblestone. He knew the way to the Nishigori’s home by heart, but his mind was drifting elsewhere. He thought he'd made it perfectly clear to the bandits that Detrot was not a town they could mess with, but, apparently, he hadn't been clear enough. 

They approached the townhouse within a matter of minutes. Lights came from the inside, and Yuuri could almost feel the sad energy shifting through the air. He slammed open the door. On the floor lay Takeshi, his wounds wrapped in bloody cloth as his wife Yuko hovered over him. She was casting healing spells relentlessly and, while it may have been what was keeping him alive, it wasn't helping heal his wounds at all. She looked up when she heard the door, tears pouring from her eyes.

“Yuuri! He's dying!” She sobbed, not knowing what further she could do.

Yuuri walked up to his friend who's shallow breathing was coming in quick breaths. He leaned down and cast a spell to quickly determine what was wrong with him. Yuuri's hopes began to fall.

“He's lost a lot of blood,” Yuuri commented, “but it looks like the weapon didn't hit anything too important. Good thing those bandits are too stupid to hit anything that matters. Or learn magic, for that matter.” 

Yuko looked at him with wide eyes, “Can you help him?” She asked. 

Yuuri thought for a moment, “Probably.” 

Yuuri's healing magic wasn't the best it could be, but it was definitely the best the small town had to offer. He began the hand movements necessary to cast the healing spells he thought would work. 

Yuuri couldn't tell how long it took. It could've been minutes or hours, but he finally got his breathing to slow down as the wound healed and new blood was delivered into his system. He took a deep breath and leaned against the wall, feeling drained.

“Yuuri?” Yuko asked cautiously, “I-Is he going to be alright?” 

Yuuri took a deep breath in, “Yes, he should be. The wound still needs to heal some on its own, but he won't lose any more blood. This… is the best I can do.” 

Tears formed in Yuko’s eyes. She launched herself at Yuuri and brought him into a huge hug. 

“Thank you so much,” She cried into his arms, “I don't know where we would be without you.” 

“Yuko-” 

“No. I know you think that it's not true, but it is,” she looked him dead in the eye, “Without you, this town would still be overrun with bandits and alphas who think they can do whatever they want. You saved us,” Yuko said gently while resting her hand on his shoulder. 

Yuuri let the words his friend spoke sink in. People had told him similar words countless amounts of time, but he never thought them to be true himself. He forced himself out of his daze. 

“Thank you, Yuko. I have to get back to Yutopia, but call for me if you need anything else.”

She nodded solemnly before Yuuri stood and walked out of the house and back into the darkness of the night. He quickly made his way back to Yutopia, hoping that nothing had gone badly while he was away. When he walked in, Yuuri found the tavern to be empty aside from Phichit, who was cleaning off the tables, and a blonde man sitting at the bar. He was clearly drunk and lying his head against the surface, mumbling to himself. Yuuri approached Phichit. 

“Did everything go smoothly while I was away?”

“Yes, everything was fine. We closed just awhile ago.”

“What about that man at the bar? Why's he still here?”

Phichit shrugged, “He wouldn't leave. ‘Kept saying something about not knowing where his companion went. I didn't want to break it to him, but I think he got left behind. He's too drunk to care what I say.” 

“So you couldn't make him leave?” 

“He's powerful. More powerful than I am, anyways. I figured there wasn't any harm in letting him stay as long as I was here.” 

“I'll take care of it,” Yuuri started, but, when he turned around, the man was gone. 

“I suppose he found who he was looking for,” Yuuri commented, “That saves me the trouble.” 

Yuuri was quick to help Phichit finish cleaning for the night. With the help of their familiers and a bit of magic, the job was done in no time. The two climbed the stairs to their living quarters, exhausted from the long night.

“We can start training a bit later tomorrow,” Yuuri said, “Make sure you get your rest.” 

Phichit nodded, “You too.”

With that, they went into their separate rooms for the night, eager to get some rest after the long night they both had. 

____________________

 

“Try to imagine you're deepest most desire. That'll help you find the strength to summon the spell,” Yuuri explained to his apprentice, “Are you doing it?” 

“Yes,” Phichit answered, head beaded with sweat as he tried to concentrate on his hand movements. A blaze of fire appeared within his hands. He struggled for a few moments to hold it steady, but soon it burnt out.

“This is ridiculous,” Phichit said, sighing, “Water magic is much easier.” 

Yuuri laughed, “It never hurts to learn as much as possible.” 

“You make it look easy,” Phichit complained.

“You didn't see the harder parts,” Yuuri reminisced, “Back when I first ran away, I had to keep moving around to avoid being found. Finding time to practice was… difficult. It was only when I finally learned to disguise myself as a beta that I could relax. Here, watch me.” 

Yuuri closed his eyes and began to move his hands in the pattern that would summon the fire he wanted. Soon, the warmth engulfed his hands as the light illuminated the clearing of forest that the two occupied. 

“Fire is selfish. It eats everything it touches. You have to find what you want to devour. What do you want most?” He took the flames and threw them into the air. Without a target to hit, the large blaze continued upwards until it eventually fizzled out. 

Phichit looked on, amazed. He turned back to his mentor with curious eyes, “If I may ask, what are you thinking of?” 

Yuuri was surprised by his question. Phichit had never been one to pry, always allowing Yuuri to give information when he felt it was best. 

“Well,” Yuuri started, figuring telling his friend would help his attempts, “I think of a better world where no one has to live in fear. A world where no one has to be scared because of who they are. Just thinking of it lights a fire in my stomach.” Yuuri smiled, dreaming of his perfect world. 

“I think I get it,” Phichit thought aloud. He moved to the middle of the clearing and performed the familiar hand movements that should result in fire. His face looked concentrated as it did before, but now there were traces of determination behind his expression. Soon, a strong blaze erupted in between his hands, burning fiercely. Phichit opened his eyes to see his magic and lit up into a huge smile. 

“I did it! Yuuri! Do you see it?” 

Yuuri laughed, “Yes, it’s great! Now throw it!” 

Phichit took the fire and threw it upwards before it fizzled out like Yuuri’s had only moments before. Although the fire was gone, Phichit’s smile still remained. 

“Good job!” Yuuri praised, “With more practice, they’ll get even bigger.”

Phichit nodded enthusiastically, still ecstatic from pulling off the spell. 

“It’s getting dark, we should head back inside. The tavern will open soon,” Yuuri and Phichit, who was still rambling on about his accomplishment, went back to set up for the night. 

Not long after, people came pouring into the small tavern, filling it with laughter and joy. The band seemed to play even more jubilantly than normal, and patrons were dancing around without ever seeming to stop. They cheered and yelled and Yuuri couldn’t be happier to bring them such joy. He was busy most of the night. As he was running around behind the bar, trying to fill the orders Phichit had delivered, he heard the tavern’s front door open. Glancing up, he saw the beautiful silver-haired alpha from the night before walk in. He glanced around as if he was looking for something before his eyes landed and stayed on Yuuri. A smile formed on his face, and Yuuri couldn’t help but wonder why he was heading in his direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all the support! I can't even tell you how much it means to me! I edit these myself, so if you see anything that needs correcting I would appreciate a (nice) heads-up! Thanks again!


	4. Heart to Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor thinks about his new feelings...

Perhaps the middle of the training grounds wasn’t the best place for Victor to try and talk to Chris, but he had more on his mind than just training. Despite his best efforts, Victor couldn’t reason with the man. 

“No.” 

“Please, Chris! I would do it for you!” 

“Would you also leave me alone at that tavern for most of the night like you did yesterday?” 

Victor looked down, “I’m sorry. I got… distracted.” 

Chris’ eyes widened, “Were you with that Alpha?” 

“Well… yes.” 

Chris’ face lit up. He turned to face the other training mage-knights before interrupting their training by shouting, “You scoundrels aren’t going to believe this! Sir Otabek, you owe me a drink! His majesty finally has been with a-” 

He was cut off by Victor throwing his hand around Chris’ mouth. Victor smiled at the knights.

“Ignore him, he’s just fooling.” 

The others slowly went back to their work, glancing over at the duo cautiously from time to time. Soon, the sounds of clanging swords and thrown magic returned to the area. 

“Chris, I wasn’t ‘with him.’ Not like how you’re thinking, anyways.” Chris’ face fell in disappointment. 

“Well, then what were you doing that made you leave for so long?” 

“When I was talking to him, shortly after you left, these children ran into the tavern and begged him to come save their father who had been attacked by bandits. He didn’t even hesitate. He ran right out of the tavern and to the girls’ house. The determination on his face was… captivating. So, naturally, I followed him.” 

Chris sighed, knowing that he was left behind for such an event.

“When he arrived, the man was near death… I didn’t think he would live, but that alpha tried anyways. And, after a considerable amount of time, he succeeded. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. I… I couldn’t hear anything because I was looking through a window, but he didn’t seem to accept any form of payment-” 

“Wait, go back. You were looking through the window?”

Victor blinked, “Well, yes.” 

Chris shoved his head in his hands, “You’re ridiculous.” 

Victor shrugged off the comment, “What else was I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know, maybe NOT look through a stranger’s home window!” 

“Oi!” a new voice sounded, “Stop arguing! Some of us are trying to train!” 

The duo turned to see one of the youngest alpha mage-knight members, Yuri Plisetsky, looking as if he’d just won a scrimmage against beta Sir Otabek. He scowled in the prince's direction, seeming as annoyed as ever.

“Sorry, sirs, we were just-”

“I don't care. Stop arguing or leave.”

Victor chuckled at the young alpha, “Those are pretty big words to say to a prince, Sir.”

“My apologies,” he replied in a sickly sweet voice, “Your honorable majesty, would you kindly do your humble servant a favor and seize the commotion caused by you and your companion?” 

Sir Otabek stifled a laugh, “One of these days,” he commented, “you'll get your cruelty handed back to you.” 

The young knight simply scoffed, “That’ll be the same day Victor goes without saying something that doesn’t make me fear for Grande’s future.” 

The remaining three knights burst into laughter, knowing that day would never come. 

“Sir Yuri,” a new stern voice spoke from aside, “Are you being a distraction to your fellow knights?” 

The group turned to see General Minako looking at the group with a disappointing glare. Yuri was quick to rebuttal. 

“What?! No! If anything, they’re distracting me-” 

“I don’t want to hear it!” She interrupted, “Get back to work.” 

The young alpha hung his head and walked away while grumbling something under his breath about a “stupid beta.” Sir Otabek soon followed after offering a apologetic smile. Once they were far enough away, the glare on the general’s face was replaced with a snicker and the three remaining knights couldn’t help but find the situation funny. 

“So, boys,” the general finally moved on, “How was your little trip last night?” 

“Great!” Victor replied at the same time that Chris offered up a “Horrible.” 

General Minako looked confused, “Excuse me?” 

“The place we visited was great. The people were great, the drinks were great,” Chris explained, “But this dunce left me alone for long after it closed. The barkeep thought that I was drunk off my mind.” 

“It wasn’t that bad,” Victor commented.

“He tried to remove me forcibly with magic.” 

“... I said I was sorry.” 

Minako shook her head at the duo, “May I ask why you left him there for that long?” 

“He went and followed a dreamy alpha into the village.” 

She raised an eyebrow, “Dreamy alpha?” 

“Don’t look at me like that! He was amazing. So… determined and kind. He acted based on his intuition, not what would be in his best interests.” 

“You’ve never been one to be interested in people,” Minako thought aloud.

Victor shook his head, “He’s… different. I’ve never seen an alpha so powerful before. I have to learn more about him, which is why we need to go back tonight.” 

“No,” Chris said once more. 

“Ah, maybe you should,” Minako started, eyes full of thought, “If there’s someone who finally caught Victor’s attention, then this might be the only chance we’ll ever get to get him a mate. One he likes, anyways.” 

Victor interrupted, “What? I thought you believed that mates were unnecessary.” 

“You know your father won’t let you take the throne without without a mate, and I would rather see you in a happy relationship than a forced one. Not every arranged marriage works out like your fathers’ did. I don’t want to see you and some other poor soul unhappy for the rest of your lives.” 

Victor thought about it, “I don’t want that either, but I don’t know this man well enough to propose something like that.” 

“I’m not suggesting that you should pursue this man for these reasons, of course. That would be cruel. However, if he feels similarly, this may be a great opportunity. You said he was a strong fighter, yes? He would be a good leader.” 

“My father is a good leader even without being a fighter,” Victor retorted. 

“I’m not saying that he isn’t. I have full faith in King Eden, but let us not forget the amount of times King Alcandor has hastily rushed us through battle ‘to make sure his omega was okay.’” 

“... I suppose you have a point.” 

Chris sighed, “Alright. I’ll go with you tonight. But you better actually talk to him this time.” 

“Of course!” Victor cheered. 

“And… Victor,” Minako slowly started, “Try not to scare the poor man, okay?”

“Why would I do that?” 

“You have a tendency to be a bit… overwhelming.” 

Victor smiled, “Don’t worry!” 

__________________________

Victor gathered up all the confidence he could muster and opened the door to Yutopia. Much like the night before, the band played joyously and people filled the many tables, but there was only one person that Victor was looking for. He scanned the room and quickly found the alpha working from behind the bar. Smiling, Victor headed towards him. He briefly heard a sarcastic “goodbye” from Chris, but was too focused on the task at hand to comprehend it. 

Soon, he approached the bar and the alpha turned to watch him. 

“Can I help you?” He spoke.

Victor’s words almost caught in his chest. This alpha certainly was very beautiful. 

“We never finished our conversation yesterday,” Victor responded, hoping that his words came out smoothly. 

“I suppose we didn’t.” 

Victor held out his hand to the barkeep, “I’m Victor. And you are?” 

He hesitantly took Victor’s hand, “Yuuri.” 

“What a lovely name,” Victor thought aloud, making the normally intense-looking alpha in front of him blush. It was too sweet. 

“I-is there something you want?” He asked again, this time stuttering over his own words. 

Victor beamed at the effect his words had caused. 

“Yes, actually. Would you accompany me tomorrow? I’m new to the area and would like a look around.” 

The alpha seemed surprised at Victor’s invitation, and then almost delighted, but soon a look of disappointment crossed his face.

“I’m afraid I cannot,” he said in a slightly harsh tone. 

Victor’s face fell, “Well, maybe the next day then?

Although the alpha in front of him seemed to always have a composed and determined face, his expression was wavering, “N-no.” 

Victor couldn’t believe his ears. Not many people had turned him down before, and this was the first person he actually wanted to say yes. He seemed so… regretful, as if the words he was saying were not the ones he wanted. 

“Alright,” Victor said finally, “I suppose I’ll just have to ask another time.” 

The alpha’s jaw tightened and he gave a curt nod before going back to his work. Things weren’t exactly working as Victor had hoped they would. 

________________

Victor decided that if he wanted to get Yuuri to go on an outing with him, he had to work for it. And if working for it meant visiting every night until he said yes, then that’s what he would have to do. 

“I thought about it and figured that maybe walks aren’t what piques your interest. Would you do me the honor of sparring tomorrow? All on good terms of course.” 

Yuuri seemed confused that Victor had come back the next night, seemingly only to ask his question. He finally gained his bearings. 

“N-no. Thank you for the offer.” 

__________________

“What about horseback riding?” 

“No...” 

__________________

“Picnic?” 

“No.” 

__________________

“Walk around the lake?” 

“No.” 

“Are you ever going to accept one of my offers?” 

“No.” 

__________________

Victor sat down at the bar once more on the fourteenth night in a row of coming to the tavern. Chris had long since stopped coming with him, but Victor wasn't about to give up. Yuuri turned in his direction. 

“So, what offer do you have for me today?” 

“None. I just wanted to talk.” 

“Oh? So you’re not going to ask if I’d like to do anything?”

“Well, if you’d like to…” 

The alpha shook his head, “No.” 

“That’s what I thought,” Victor sat at one of the bar stools, “I’ll have a glass of wine.” 

Yuuri hesitantly set to work preparing his drink, eyeing him suspiciously as he worked. Victor watched him blatantly, never once wanting to remove his eyes from his form. He couldn’t get over how, even simply in the way the man moved, he could find something to admire. Soon, the glass was set in front of him and he began to move on. Victor interrupted him. 

“So, what made you want to learn magic like that?” 

The alpha froze, “That’s a fairly personal question to ask.” 

“I told you I wanted to talk.” 

“...I defend those who need it, I suppose.” 

“I noticed that you do tend to use it for such purposes.” 

“I consider my ability to use magic as a gift. If I can’t use that gift to defend my beliefs and others who are affected by them, then I shouldn’t have it.” 

“Any reason that you feel so strongly that others deserve to be defended.” 

“... You’re rather brash, aren’t you?”

“You don’t have to answer if you’d rather not.” 

Yuuri thought for a moment, and then reluctantly sighed, “My sister always told me that  
you aren’t defined by who you were born as, but, instead, what is in you. So, I decided that I wanted to help those who are in a position where they can’t defend themselves.”

Victor was delighted that he was learning a bit about the alpha, and decided to turn up the charm, “She sounds like a lovely person!” 

“She’s dead.” 

Victor’s face filled with dread. 

“My apologies! I didn’t realize-” 

Yuuri waved him off with a somber face, “Leave it be.” 

Victor felt horrible. How could he face this man again after saying something like that? As the alpha worked, he glanced over to Victor a few times, as if trying to see what he would do. Victor heard his voice softly cut into the silence. 

“What about you?” 

“What?” Had Victor heard him right?

“Why did you learn such intense magic? I can smell the power on you, and not many people who come around here are that strong.” 

Victor was in awe. Yuuri wanted to know about him too? He managed to get out, “Well… I suppose it was a sense of duty. It was always expected of me to learn to be strong, and I wasn’t opposed.” 

“You never felt like you were being forced to fill a role?” 

“... Not particularly. I like magic and wanted to learn it anyways, but I didn’t always want to go to lessons. I know why my parents did that, though.” 

If Yuuri had any reaction to Victor’s words, he didn’t show it. 

“W-why do you keep coming here to ask about me?” 

“You intrigue me.” 

“Why? I’m nothing special.” 

Victor shook his head, “I disagree. Most alphas wouldn’t bat an eye at the situation that went down the other night, and you were so keen to help that poor man. Your determination and strength are most admirable.” 

“I was only doing what I thought was right.” 

“Exactly. That’s what makes your actions so respectable. I know many people in the Order of the Mage-Knights and similar groups, and many only join to become powerful and praised. You’re just here in this small tavern in the middle of nowhere, doing what you think is right for the purpose of doing the right thing.” 

Yuuri didn’t respond and instead speed up his work as if he was trying not to think of Victor’s words. 

“Also, you are very beautiful to watch.” 

The alpha dropped the drink he was holding. 

_______________________

“Excuse me, Sir Yakov, but have you seen my father? I wish to seek counsel with him.” 

“King Alcandor is currently preparing for the upcoming visit of King Jean-Jacques-” 

“Not him.” 

Yakov looked at Victor in surprise, which he seemed to try and cover up, “Er, right. King  
Eden is in the library, though I’m not entirely sure what he is doing.” 

Victor nodded, “Thank you.” 

He left the man and headed towards the library. Although his father had lived in the palace for many years, some things never change. He had proved time and time again that, despite being an omega, he was a wonderful and strong leader, but many people still didn’t see him as such. His husband, King Alcandor, was no different. They had an arranged marriage set up by Victor’s grandparents the moment they found out a male omega had presented in the capital. It didn’t matter to them that Alcandor hadn’t even been born at that point in time, still growing inside his mother’s stomach. As Eden had presented at the age of ten, they had an extreme age difference, but it allowed for him to spend many years training to be a leader of Grande alongside Alcandor. He had more years of training and experience, but he was treated mostly as if he had none. It angered Victor, but Eden had often told him that it wasn’t worth making a big fuss about. He was happy to help his country, even if they didn’t recognise his contribution as his own. 

Victor soon found his father in a secluded part of the library, nose deep in a leather-bound book. King Alcandor had ordered an extension onto the library after King Eden had expressed his love of reading, and he would often be found in the newer wings. 

“Papa?”

The older king looked up from his reading, “Hello, dear. What brings you here?” Though soft-spoken, his words rang clear and with genuine curiosity. 

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“Alright.” 

Victor and his father moved over to a table in the library’s new wings and sat down in an area brilliantly lit from an open window. King Eden set his book to the side and Victor briefly wondered what his father would want in a book like “The Science of the Stars,” but he pushed aside those thoughts quickly. His father would read anything he got his hands on if he had the chance, no matter the topic. 

“What did you want to talk about, dear?” 

“This may seem like an odd question, but I was wondering… What is your relationship really like with Father?” 

The king didn’t seemed surprised by the question, but he did seem hesitant to continue, “I love your father very much,” He said, “But I’m assuming that’s not the answer you’re looking for.”

“Not exactly. How did you decide that you loved him?”

“Well, to be honest, I didn’t for a very long time. I hated him even before he was born. As he grew older, I began to respect him. He was very protective of me and tried to make me as comfortable as possible, which I appreciated, but he thought that meant I was required to like him back as well, which I didn’t. It wasn’t until shortly after I gave birth to you that I began to love him.” 

Victor’s eyes widened, “Really? You didn’t love him until after I was born?” 

The king nodded his head sadly. 

“...What made you change your mind?” 

The old king’s eyes twinkled with joy, “Once I saw him cradling you in his arms with nothing but love in his eyes, I realised that, even if he goes about it the wrong way at times, he does what he does out with pure intentions. He loved us, and I couldn’t help but love him back.” 

Victor had tears in his eyes, but he held them back. He wasn’t sure why his father had kept this information from him all these years, but he was glad he was telling him know. 

“W-what did it feel like?” 

The king seemed to think for a minute, “Well, I wasn’t completely in love with him at that point, but, back then, it felt like I wanted to be around him all the time and felt better after spending time with him. All the little things he did seemed to become much more obvious and endearing. It’s… hard to explain, but very intense. His scent became the only thing that would calm my nerves and I actually began to enjoy my heats… Don’t tell him that was when it started, though,” the king gave Victor a little wink, to which Victor chuckled. 

“Thank you, Father, I’ll leave you to your reading-” 

“Wait. I have a question for you now.” 

Victor was confused, “Yes?” 

“Do these questions you’re asking have anything to do with wherever it is that you disappear to every night?” 

Victor’s cheeks turned bright red, “How did you know about that?!” 

“Your father may be a good leader, but he isn’t very observant. I’ve noticed you sneaking about at night, and your scent always smells vaguely of beer and other people in the morning.”

“Well, then… Yes. The questions do have to do with where I am going.” 

The king smiled with joy, “Oh? What are they like?”

Victor smiled, “So… perfect. He’s always there for the people around him and is  
just so… deep. Everything he does seems to make me happy. His scent is intoxicating, and he’s one of the most powerful magic-wielders I’ve ever met.” 

“Beta?” 

“Alpha, actually.” 

“Interesting. And here I thought you’d take more after your father.” 

Victor laughed, “I’m surprised as well.” 

“Well, I’ll leave you to it, but make sure you bring him here sometime soon. I would love to meet him.” 

“Of course.” 

Victor left the conversation more certain about his feelings than he was before he left. His papa always had a way with words. So caught up in his thought, Victor hardly noticed the creeping new feeling that was arising inside him until it became very intense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet! Hope you're all okay with that ;) Also, appearances from Yurio, Otabek, and Victor's parents! In other news, this book has over 500 kudos and I can't believe how lovely you all are! I originally was only going to write the prologue, but your support had inspired me to finish (or at least try.) Thanks so much!
> 
> I wanted to be sure that the kings' names were relevant to the story, so King Alcandor's name means "strong" and King Eden's name means "delight." I hope you like them as characters! (Or at least Eden, because Alcandor hasn't had much of an appearance aside from the first chapter.)
> 
> I edit all of this myself, so, if you find a mistake, please tell me! Thanks!


	5. Don't Stay Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Victor doesn't show up for a few days... Yuuri gets nervous.

“I don’t understand it.” 

Yuuri looked up from casting chilling spells on the bottles of gin he was setting out. Phichit was watching him, leaning against the bar while they were getting ready for the night. 

“You don’t understand what?” 

“Why don’t you just accept his offers?” 

“I don’t like him like-” 

“Yes, you do.” 

“What makes you say that?” 

“I’ve known you for three years now and you’ve never talked about a patron more than you talk about him.”

“I don’t talk about him that much-” 

“Not too long ago you kept going on about how ‘annoying’ he was being.” 

“Yes, because he is annoying.” 

“We both know that’s not the only reason.” 

“Okay, let’s assume that I did like him and accepted his offers. He’ll know I’m an omega if we decide to mate.” 

“So just tell him.” 

“I can’t just tell people. You know how hard I worked to get to where I am now, and I can’t let anyone get in the way of that.” 

“But you told me.” 

Yuuri sighed and set down the bottles, “Right, but that was different. You came to me wanting to learn and then proved time and time again that you would always defend people who can’t defend themselves. I knew that, when telling you, you’d do everything you could to keep my secret. What if this man isn’t like that? If he doesn’t tell the authorities, he’ll probably treat me completely different.” 

“You don’t know that.” 

“You work here. Every night. You see how alphas treat omegas.” 

Phichit sighed, “I suppose I can see your concern, but-” 

“There is no ‘but,’ I simply can’t let this man get close.” 

Phichit shrugged in defeat and went back to his work, leaving Yuuri alone with his thoughts. Who cares if he thought Victor was good looking, that didn't mean he liked him! Though, his perseverance was admirable… And his charm… And his genuine curiosity…

Yuuri shook his head. He couldn’t be thinking about these things right now. He had to get ready. Victor would surely come in later, and Yuuri could deal with him when he arrived. 

But… he never showed up. Yuuri kept glancing at the door the whole night, waiting for Victor to enter. He became bored without his idle chatter to amuse him, and Yuuri wondered where he could be. After the tavern closed, he lamented to Phichit.

“I wonder where he is. He never mentioned leaving before.”

Phichit shoved his head in his hands, “Most people aren't here every night. Something must have come up.” 

“But-” 

“Yuuri! Everything will be fine! I'm sure he'll be back here tomorrow.” 

Yuuri nodded. Tomorrow. He'd definitely be here tomorrow. 

Except he wasn't there the next day.

Or the next day.

Or the next day. 

By the time the fifth day rolled around, Yuuri could only assume the worst. 

“W-What if the bandits got him? What if he fell into the river near the bridge? What if he ran into trolls while-” 

“Yuuri, I need you to breathe-” 

“What if… What if he became bored and left? Oh god…” 

“But that's what you wanted, right?” 

“Yes, but… But… What if he did?” 

Phichit took in a sad breath, “Yuuri, I don’t know if he’ll be back tonight, but, if he is, maybe you should give accept his offers. Give it a try at least. Trust me, with the way he looks at you, he’ll be back.” 

Yuuri didn’t respond. He watched as his apprentice went back to his work, silently lighting the magical lanterns that illuminated the tavern at night

Was Phichit right? Should he at least give the man a chance? In the book that the lady-knight had given him so many years ago, it said that having close relationships was dangerous. Though, he had already broken that rule when he allowed Phichit to know his true identity. If he could trust him enough with something like that, then maybe he could also trust him with this. 

Yuuri didn’t have time to think about the silver-haired alpha when people began to file into the tavern. As usual, the small town managed to keep him busy through the night. However, that didn’t stop Yuuri from anxiously looking up at the door every time he heard it open. For most of the night, he was only met with disappointment. 

However, while he was cleaning the glasses, the familiar noise sounded once again. Yuuri looked up, and what he saw made him drop what he was doing immediately.

After five days of not hearing anything from him, Victor simply stood at the door as if nothing had happened. He looked towards the bar, flashed a smile, and began to walk to Yuuri. But, before he could reach him, Yuuri jumped out from behind the counter and raced over to him. Without thinking, Yuuri’s arms reached out and grabbed hold of the man, pulling him into a tight embrace. He seemed shocked. The shock faded into joy as he also wrapped his arms around Yuuri. 

“Yuuri! This is unexpected!” He cheered, “Are you alright? If I had known you’d be this happy when I returned, I would have done this days ago!” 

Yuuri lifted his head to look the alpha in the eye, “Am I alright? You’re the one who hasn’t been here for five nights! What happened?” 

Victor’s smile failed to fade, “I was going through my rut. I certainly couldn’t leave when that was happening.” 

Yuuri’s cheeks grew red and he suddenly became very aware of his arms around Victor’s waist, “Oh, y-yes. How could I forget that?” He pulled away nervously. 

Victor laughed, “It does seem odd since I’m sure you have similar experiences.” 

Not entirely sure what to say, Yuuri stuttered out, “I, uh… I repress my ruts. With magic.” While Yuuri’s explanation wasn’t true, it wasn’t a complete lie. He repressed, but he repressed his heats. 

Victor’s eyes widened, “Really? How do you do that?” 

“Uh… Well, i-it’s a very… personalized spell. It’s not the same for everyone…” 

Victor laughed, “Oh, I get it.”

“Y-you do?” 

“Whatever you have to do is embarrassing, isn’t it?” 

Yuuri’s face flushed, “Uh… Yes! That’s it. It’s… embarrassing.” The spell that Yuuri performed was not embarrassing in the slightest, but he wasn’t about to tell him the truth. 

“That’s alright,” Victor winked at him, “I’ll figure it out one day.” 

If Yuuri’s cheeks could get any redder, they did in that moment. Victor hardly seemed to notice as he went on to a new subject. 

“Well, I was going to come ask if you wanted to go with me to-” 

“Yes.”

Victor’s eyes widened in shock. Yuuri almost couldn’t believe the words coming out of his own mouth, yet he didn’t try to stop them.

“P-pardon me?”

Yuuri took in a deep breath, “Yes, I would love to go do something with you.” 

“A-are you sure?”

Yuuri smiled and nodded his head to which Victor grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. All his thoughts of danger left Yuuri’s head, and he hugged back. 

 

____________________

 

“When I accepted your offer, I figured you would have something rather extravagant in mind.” 

“You’re not enjoying yourself?” 

“No, no, I am. I just figured, after all of your previous invitations, you would have something set up.” 

Much to Yuuri’s surprise, when Victor showed up the next day, he simply asked to take a walk around Yuuri’s small town. Yuuri was very happy to show him around, though there wasn’t too much to show. 

Victor smiled at Yuuri, “Well, I very much enjoy seeing how excited you get explaining different parts of the town.”

Yuuri blushed, something he seemed to be doing often recently, “It may be small, but it really is nice.” 

“It must be if it can bring forth people such as yourself.” 

Yuuri looked away, “Oh, I wasn’t born here. I just happened to come across it in my travels.” 

“Oh? So you used to travel?” 

“Yes, I used to.”

“You must have seen many things then.” 

“Not as much as I would have hoped I’m afraid. I mostly traveled during the daytime and came into town at night. Even then, it was solely to make money.” 

“Make money?” 

“You’ve heard of Seung-gil Lee’s underground combat fights, right?” Everyone knew who he was, whether or not he had a station within their home city. 

“U-uh of course.” 

“Well, I used to partake in those for money and simply went from town to town so that the local fighters wouldn’t get too acquainted with my style. They helped me get by, but we almost got caught on many occasions. It comes with the territory, I suppose.” 

“...Right.” 

“Well, I eventually stopped in this town, only to find it overrun with bandits and aggressive alphas. At first, no one would come near me because I’m an alpha too. That changed after I drove off a group of bandits from the main street. People told me that the mayor had been recently killed, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he fled out of fear, and the other local mage-knights keeping watch over the town had been killed. So, I decided that I would stay here.” 

“Sounds like a charming place to settle down.” 

“Well, they needed it. I’ve come across many towns in need of help, but never one as bad as this. It’s looking fairly nice nowadays though, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I can hardly tell that anything ever happened,” Victor said in awe, “So did you ever get a new mayor? Or mage-knights?” 

Yuuri shook his head, “No. We’ve been getting by for a few years without either of them. My apprentice and I take care of dangerous people when they arise. And, while I wouldn’t consider myself a mayor, people often come to me when they need disputes settled. We get by, though the number of bandit attacks lately has seemed to increase.” 

“Yes, I noticed that where I live as well.” 

“Where do you live? Probably not far, considering you’re here so often.”

Victor laughed, “ I live in the capital.” 

Yuuri’s eyes widened, “That’s far. A good two days by horse.” 

“I’m fairly good at teleporting.”

“Ah, I’m afraid I’m not quite as good as I could be.” 

“I’m sure you do well.” 

The duo soon found themselves near the edge of the town. The sun was setting on the horizon, and the edge of the forest was looming nearby. Yuuri couldn’t help but notice that the sun made Victor look even more lovely. His heart was beating hard in his chest, and all he could think about was how much he loved to hear this man talk. 

“Anyway, I’ve been wanting to ask you-” Victor’s words were cut off by a dagger flying towards his head. With a quick movement from Victor, it missed and fell onto the ground behind him. The two instinctively reached for their weapons, drawing them quickly before standing ready towards the attacker. 

“Who’s there?” Victor shouted into the woods. 

Slowly, a group of ragged-looking men appeared from the shadows. They all held weapons and had grimaces on their faces. Bandits. 

“What do you want?” Victor yelled at the new arrivals.

“Nothing too particular,” the leader of the group growled, “Gold, jewels, valuables. We figure it’s a good trade for your life.” 

Victor’s hand moved to cover Yuuri, though Yuuri almost wondered if it should be the other way around. If he was by himself, he would have already taken care of the intruders, but he didn’t know how well Victor could handle himself. Yuuri gripped his dagger tighter, waiting to see how the situation would pan out. 

“I’m afraid you won’t be getting any of that. Leave us.” 

The leader laughed, “And I’m afraid I can’t let that happen, Pretty Boy. You look like you could afford to lose some gold anyways.” 

Yuuri hadn’t considered it before, but he supposed the leader was right. Victor did dress as if he was rather rich. Nonetheless, he pushed Victor’s protective arm away and stepped forward, calling forth a ball of light energy to threaten them with. 

“You’ve terrorized this town for too long. Leave now or face the consequences.” It infuriated him how these horrible people could wreck havoc in his village. It was so full of life and love, and they brought only fear and greed. If the past ten years had taught him anything, it was that he could not stand for it. 

“You think you’re strong ‘cus you’re a big, bad alpha. We outnumber you, so just give up.” 

Yuuri narrowed his eyes at the bandits, “Alright then.” He released the light energy at the group and it exploded at their feet. Instantly, the bandits who didn’t need time to recover sprung into action. They threw daggers and launched themselves at the duo. Yuuri began to move but soon found himself covered by a light shield. He turned to see that Victor had summoned it and was proceeding to shoot ice shards at the group. Many of them fell. Yuuri, stepping around his newly-formed shield, sent out his own fire attack that sent a few running to soothe their burns. 

“You’re not bad,” Yuuri commented to Victor while the group collected themselves. 

“You sound surprised.” 

A lone bandit charged at Victor, who promptly took his sword and silenced the man’s attack. The rest of the group looked up towards their fallen companion and promptly took off running, trying to get as far away from the two as possible. Yuuri was in awe. Victor was definitely stronger than he let on. 

“So you can sword fight as well?” Yuuri asked when he finally found his words. It wasn’t fair that this man could be beautiful, charming, a powerful magic-wielder, and a swordsman as well. Who was in the heavens above laughing as they watched little Yuuri try to stand next to their finest work as an equal? 

“Yes. I suppose it’s probably a bit more effective than a dagger,” Victor joked. Yuuri looked down at the small weapon in his hands, the feeling of inferiority due to his lack of knowledge growing. Victor seemed to sense his thoughts and his smile dropped, “I-I could show you how sometime if you’d like. Though I’m sure, with your magic knowledge, you could get by just fine without it.” 

Yuuri’s nerves calmed a bit at his words and he gave him a smile, “I would love that.” 

Victor smiled back, and Yuuri couldn’t help but think that it was the most precious thing he had ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, you guys, over 700 kudos! I couldn't be more grateful for all of your support! I do edit all of these by myself, so, if you happen to find a mistake, please tell me! It's hard to catch everything ^_^
> 
> Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> Fun fact: EVERYONE with a part in the YOI universe also has a planned one in this universe, but not all of them will be mentioned. 
> 
> Second fun fact: Three songs inspired this story: Piano Man by Billy Joel, Little Bar on Sullivan Street from Next Thing You Know, and Stars and the Moon from Songs for a New World (though I'll admit the later doesn't show as much as the other two.) I literally listen to them on repeat while writing XD


	6. Song of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor learns a bit about the world...

Victor rushed down the corridor, hoping to get out into the garden to teleport before anyone could notice. He wanted to go see his Yuuri as soon as possible, but his hope was soon crushed when he heard a stern voice echo in the hall. 

“Ah, Victor, just who I was looking for.” 

Victor turned to see his father, King Alcandor, standing in the door of a sitting room. He gestured for Victor to follow him inside, to which Victor begrudgingly complied. He so desperately wanted to leave for Yutopia to see Yuuri, but he certainly could not get on his father’s bad side. He sat down next to him. 

“As you know, King Jean-Jacques will be joining us for a visit soon to discuss the peace accords.” 

Victor nodded, “Yes.” 

“He should be arriving tomorrow, so I need you to be prepared for the welcoming ceremony tomorrow. I want you to lead the affair.” 

Victor’s eyes widened, “Really?” 

“Yes. You will be crowned king soon and the country needs to start recognizing you as such. After Jean-Jacques leaves, I want him to respect you as a leader so he does not underestimate you when you take the throne. You understand what I am saying, correct?” 

“Of course, father.” 

“Good,” the king paused for a few moments, “On the subject of you taking the crown, there has been something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

Victor knew exactly what he was about to bring up. His stomach churned. 

“I can’t let you take the throne without a mate, and, so far, you’ve failed to choose one for yourself. I understand that you want to find someone you truly love, and I’ve been very patient to comply with your wish of choosing your own mate, but your time is running out. You need to find someone soon, or I will choose for you.” 

“...Of course.” 

“Perhaps one of your mage-knight friends would be a good match. Or one of the neighboring country’s omega princesses. Those relations would be good for the country.” 

“...W-well.” 

“Don’t stutter.” 

“Right... I was just thinking-” 

“Oh, there you are, dear!” 

The two alphas turned towards the new voice to see King Eden enter the room with a smile on his face. 

“Hello, love,” Alcandor said, standing to place a kiss on his husband’s cheek. 

“It’s a good thing I found you now, I really need to talk to you. Victor, dear, could you give us some privacy?” 

Victor had known his father for twenty-six years, and never once had he asked him to leave when something important was happening. His confusion was soon replaced with relief when he saw Eden wink at him and give a slight smile. Sometimes, his father could be quite devious. 

“Of course, I’ll be on my way.” Victor gracefully left the room and began sprinting to the gardens, making a mental note to thank his father for the distraction later. He knew that he had to pick a mate soon, but Victor still wasn’t sure what would happen. 

Yuuri. Yuuri would be a perfect leader. Strong, kind, commanding, there wasn’t a single thing about him that Victor didn’t find intriguing and beautiful. Alcandor would certainly agree that he would be a good match, but Victor was more concerned with what Yuuri would think. Would he still like Victor when he found out he was royalty? Would he even want to rule the country? Most people would be overjoyed to find that out, but Yuuri had an affinity for surprising Victor. 

Victor shook those thoughts from his head as he found a secluded part of the gardens. After going there so many times, Victor could successfully teleport almost directly in front of the tavern’s door. He closed his eyes, moved his hands, and soon found himself staring at the familiar building. When he walked in the door, he was greeted by the familiar band and smell of gin that he had come to love. 

“Yuuri!” Victor cheered when he saw him working at the bar. Yuuri turned to see him standing there and smiled. 

“Hello, Victor.” 

“How are you doing tonight, love?” 

Yuuri blushed, making Victor’s internal pride swell. 

“I-I’m doing well. What about you?” 

“I’m good but tired. My father had me practicing magic all day.” 

Yuuri seemed to give an amused smile, “That sounds tough.”

“It was! I learned something interesting, though.” 

“And what was that?” 

Victor grabbed a metal glass from Yuuri’s hands as he was cleaning, much to Yuuri’s protest, and held it by the base. He softly moved his hands into the position needed to perform his spell and blew gently on it. Frost came from his breath and onto the glass, forming an exquisitely detailed picture. Birds sat on embellishing pine tree branches as snowflakes encompassed their perch.

“Wow,” Yuuri whispered, “That’s impressive.” 

Victor handed it to him, “It’s for you.” 

“Thanks, I always wanted my glass back. Wherever did you find it?” 

“Oh, Yuuri, why must you be so cruel?” 

They both laughed and Yuuri soon set back to work taking orders. 

“You’re always so busy. Do you ever want help?” Victor asked out of the blue. 

Yuuri laughed, “Are you offering?” 

“Well, I suppose.” 

“I didn’t know you knew cuisine magic.” 

“Er… I don’t.” 

Yuuri gave a little laugh, “I figured.” 

“It was worth a try. I do love spending time with you, after all.” 

Yuuri blushed, making Victor’s heart soar, “I still don’t understand why.” 

“Well,” Victor started, “You’re brave. And caring.” 

Yuuri shrugged, “Many people are.” 

“You’re humble too, apparently.” 

Yuuri rolled his eyes but continued to listen. 

“You’re incredibly strong yet you don’t show it off, you’re smart enough to know where you’re needed,” Victor leaned in, deciding to test the waters, “and so beautiful that one could mistake you for royalty.” 

For once, the alpha didn’t blush at Victor’s comments. He only stopped his work for a few short moments before continuing. Victor’s smile began to fall. 

“Is something the matter?” He asked, hoping that it wasn’t what he feared. 

“Well,” Yuuri began slowly, “I appreciate the compliment, royalty does tend to be rather gorgeous, but I’m afraid that’s only on the outside.” 

A pain stabbed Victor in the heart, “W-what do you mean by that?” 

Yuuri took in a deep breath, "The Royals only care about themselves and their honor. They really don’t care much for the rest of us. Surely you have seen it.” 

“I can’t say that I have.” 

Yuuri seemed surprised. He pointed to a boy playing the lute on the stage where the band sat, “That is Leo de la Iglesia,” He announced, “He is originally from the city of Angles in the southern districts, but he came here when he heard his grandmother was ill. As a musician, he made fairly good money in Angles, but here, in small Detrot, he didn’t have much luck. He went to the nearest duke and begged for help in aiding her while he couldn’t get the funds needed. They refused. It was only a matter of time before she died from her disease. At that point, the town had been corrupted by the bandits and alphas. He couldn’t leave because he didn’t have any money, so he stayed despite the danger. Now that the tavern is open, he does make money. It isn’t great money, mind you, but it is still money. More than before, but not enough.” 

Victor was in shock, “That certainly is sad, but that can’t be reason to assume all royalty-” 

“That,” Yuuri interrupted while pointing to a lad on the other side of the bar, “is Guang Hong Ji. He was born here and raised here. His family and him lived just down the street from here his whole life. His mother, father, and sister all had good jobs that allowed him to not have to worry about getting a job at a young age like many children do. His parents were both betas, and his sister was an omega. When a visiting lord came into the town, he took one look at his sister and decided that he wanted her to be his mate. Their parents refused his offer of money for her hand. They thought that would be the end of the situation, but the lord would not take no for an answer. He took her by force, injuring and killing his parents in the process. He was left alone and jobless.” 

Victor’s dread grew bigger. How could someone do something like that to a young boy? 

“I-is he alright now?”

Yuuri sadly shook his head, “He has a measly job working for a nearby farmer, but he always aspired to be a mage-knight. Now, that’s not possible.” 

A knot grew in Victor’s throat. Was this how all people viewed royalty? 

“Surely,” Victor said, hoping to spare himself, “the kings of the land themselves are kind.” 

“You mean king, I assume, because I can’t imagine King Eden ever gets a word in edgewise.” 

Victor looked down at the floor, “I suppose.” 

Yuuri glanced down the bar at a beta woman who was lying her head on the table and seemed to have passed out in her drunkenness. 

“She was a member of the mage-knights. She was strong, achieving, and notable. That’s what she told me, anyway. Her and their children lived mostly off of the money that she made as a knight. Until she lost her arm in battle one day. She was honored and thanked by King Alcandor himself, and then sent home. But that was it. She was left crippled and jobless and didn’t have the ability to get a good job for herself. Many mage-knights only know combat magic, after all, which isn’t helpful in most other professions. She lost hope and just… gave up.” 

“What?!” Victor was astounded. How could something so awful happen right under his nose? He fought with and joined the mage-knights daily, and had never heard of something like this. “...What is her name?” 

Yuuri shrugged, “Honestly, I don’t know. Nowadays, she drinks so much that I don’t even think she remembers her own name.”

“Does… everyone in the kingdom have experiences like this?”

“Not all, but many do. Especially the poorer people.” 

“... Do you?” 

Yuuri straightened, “I’d rather not talk about that if you don’t mind.” 

Victor nodded, not wanting to push, “...Thank you for telling me all of this.” 

Yuuri smiled, “Well thank you for listening. Normally it’s the other way around. Though it seems joyful, the tavern is quite sad. People come here to forget the problems they have, and it works… temporarily.” 

Victor looked around at the happy faces of the tavern’s patrons, trying to see the sadness behind their eyes. Once you thought about it, the pain was obvious. So many people faced so many different things, and it was difficult to see them like that.

“The band helps,” Yuuri noted, “Music magic may not be a permanent solution, but it really does make a huge difference. Its sound fills the people with joy and hope.” 

Victor was suddenly struck with an idea. 

“I’ll be back,” He told Yuuri, who only looked on at him in confusion. 

Victor walked towards the stage where the band had been playing only moments before. As they were discussing what song to play next, Victor placed his hand on the stage.

“Do you mind if I borrow this?” He asked, gesturing to one of the musicians' lyres. 

One of the members turned to the boy that Victor had earlier learned was called Leo de la Iglesia and gave him a questioning look. 

“Alright,” Leo shrugged, “I could use a break anyway.”

The band moved off the stage and Victor took his place on it. The people around him looked at him quizzically, including his dear Yuuri, and Victor moved his hands to the strings and began to play. 

Victor decided to play for all of those who came to the tavern simply wanting to forget the lives they led. To all of those who felt wronged by the royals who stood high but stooped low. As he played, he allowed the music magic he learned over the years drip into the notes, hoping to help calm those who were feeling down. 

_Some day_ Victor played into his song _I’ll reverse the wrongs that we put upon you._ He looked to Yuuri and was filled with the love he had learned to adore lately. _With Yuuri._ He thought. _Together, we will fix the wrongs that have been set upon you all. Someday._

And, although they couldn’t hear the words he was thinking in his mind, Victor hoped they could feel his love in his music. As he played in the illuminated tavern, many of the residents found the first feeling of reassurance they had in many years. 

__________________________

Yuuri fell to the ground. Again.

“Victor,” He complained, “I’m only just learning. Couldn’t you go a bit easier on me?” 

“If you want to learn to swordfight, you have to practice hard.” 

“If we were battling with magic you would have fallen long ago.” 

Victor gave a sly smile, “Which is why we are not doing that.” 

Yuuri stood up and brushed off his cloak, “I think I prefer my dagger. It’s easier to control.” 

“Yes, but a sword can do more damage, and you never know what situation you might be in. Trust me, this will be good for you.” 

Yuuri rolled his eyes but didn’t comment further. As much as Victor would have loved to stay and watch his lovely Yuuri fight a bit more, he was much more afraid of what his father would do if he didn’t show up to the greeting ceremony for the visiting king. 

“One more time,” Victor decided, “Then I’m afraid I have business that I have to attend to.” 

Yuuri nodded, “Perfect.” 

Victor got into his stance, quickly followed by Yuuri. The sheer amount of stamina that Yuuri had never failed to amaze him. Even as Victor’s chest was heaving up and down, Yuuri looked like he had only just started fighting. Victor made the first move. 

He swung his sword in Yuuri’s direction. He made sure that he could stop it if need be, despite Yuuri’s beliefs, because he would never forgive himself if he actually injured him. Yuuri quickly blocked his blow and pushed it aside. 

“Good.” 

Victor lunged for him again, but he didn’t quite make the full move he was planning. His foot caught on a root that he hadn’t seen before lunging, and he soon found himself tripping and landing directly on top of Yuuri in a tangled mess. Yuuri groaned. 

Victor was in shock. Where had that root come from? Surely it hadn’t been there before.

“That’s an interesting fighting technique,” Yuuri mumbled through the pain.

Caught off guard by his words, Victor found himself staring. Everything about him was so beautiful, even when he was covered in sweat and lying on the ground. Their faces were so close that Victor could feel his breath. Yuuri looked at him curiously.

“Victor? Are you alright-” 

Yuuri didn’t have time to finish his sentence before Victor leaned down and kissed him. His eyes widened in shock, not knowing how to react. When Victor pulled away, Yuuri’s face was redder than he had ever seen it, and it wasn’t just because of training. 

“V-Victor? What was that?” 

Victor only smiled down at him, “I thought it would surprise you.” 

He got up, brushed the dirt off his cloak and turned to Yuuri, who was still lying on the ground and smiling slightly to himself.

“Sorry, Love, I wish I could stay, but I have to go. I can’t wait to see you later tonight.” 

Yuuri suddenly seemed to come back to reality. He smiled and nodded to him, “Alright, I’ll see you then.”

Victor gave him a quick wink before performing the teleportation spell that would take him back to the castle. He couldn’t stop smiling as he made his way back to his room, just thinking about how great the past few moments had been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all are freaking amazing I love you ^_^ I don't want to give any spoilers, BUT I will say that the next chapter is gonna be pretty eventful ;) (Legit it's been hard for me to write other chapters because I really wanted to write the next one haha.)


	7. A Walk in the City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Phichit need supplies...

Yuuri sat there for a moment after Victor teleported away, leaving behind only the memory of his kiss. He couldn’t believe that it actually happened. 

As Yuuri went back inside, he began to pack his bag for a trip. Every now and then, he and Phichit had to travel to the capital to get supplies for the tavern. Most things they got from traveling salesmen, but some things were only sold in the large city. Upon hearing Yuuri get packed, a small furry figure bounded in from outside, yapping excitedly at the chance of a trip.

“Vicchan! Are you ready to go?” 

The small dog barked excitedly in response. As Yuuri’s familiar, he could be classified as one of the only creatures who knew Yuuri’s secret. He kept to himself most of the time until Yuuri needed him, not particularly liking the large crowds that the tavern drew. 

“Phichit? Are you ready to leave?” Yuuri shouted to his apprentice. 

“Yes, just give me a moment!” He yelled from upstairs. 

Yuuri rolled his eyes, “Even Vicchan is faster than you!” He joked. The familiar perked his head up at the sound of his name and Yuuri gave him a pat on the head, not wanting to have gotten him excited for nothing. 

Phichit soon rushed down the stairs, slinging his own bag over his back. 

“Sorry,” Phichit explained, “I’m ready now.”

The three of them made their way outside so Yuuri could perform the teleportation spell. Once they were in place, Yuuri tried hard to focus on the city’s streets, vaguely recalling the magically-lit paths and bustling shops. He moved his hands into the position and cast the spell, opening his eyes moments later to find himself in the middle of a field. Phichit laughed and pointed to a town that could be seen in the distance. 

“Well, at least we can see it this time.” 

It took the trio awhile, but they finally made their way to the gates of the capital. The large buildings never ceased to amaze Yuuri, and the castle looming in the distance looked as gorgeous as ever. 

_You could have lived there_ a small voice whispered in the back of his mind. And, for a moment, Yuuri began to wonder what life would have been like if he decided to stay at the refugee camp all those years ago. 

_No_ Yuuri’s sense spoke back louder. _A beautiful castle would never make up for the awfulness of being forced into mating. If you had stayed, the people of Detrot would still be in trouble, Phichit would still be lost in the world, and you would have never met Victor._ Yuuri shivered at the thought, quickly turning his attention away from the castle. His anxiety built as they approached the city gates. He always feared that somehow, someday, the king would see Yuuri while he was at the capital and recognize him immediately. It didn’t matter how many people he had helped with his powers, breaking the law is still breaking the law.

The mage-knights guarding the entrance to the kingdom seemed deep in conversation. The taller of the two was the first to notice Yuuri and Phichit approaching, and gestured to the other. 

“What business do you have in the capital?” He asked. This confused Yuuri, because the guards normally would just ignore them and let them walk past.’ 

“We need supplies. We only came to get them,” Yuuri said, hoping to move on quickly. 

The smaller of the two, an alpha, snickered, “Then why are you carrying weapons, pig?” 

“I’ve always carried weapons into the capital. With all those bandits running around, you can hardly leave without protection.” 

The small alpha didn’t seem to be buying it, “Alright. Beat me in a spar and we’ll let you in.” 

Yuuri sighed. If there was one disadvantage of disguising himself as an alpha, this was it. When other alphas saw him they sometimes wanted to fight, hoping to prove themselves stronger. 

“I don’t want to fight.” 

This made the small alpha mad, “You’re an alpha, of course you want to-” 

“Yuri,” The taller of the two, stopping the smaller one’s words, “If he doesn’t want to fight, he doesn’t want to fight. You may pass.” 

Yuuri nodded, happy to avoid any trouble, “Thank you.”

As they were passing, Phichit stopped, “If I may ask, why the higher security today?” 

“King Jean-Jacques is visiting the palace. We can’t have any trouble while he is here.” 

“Of course, thank you, Sir.” 

The group made slowly their way to the center of the capital where many vending stalls stood. The large square was bustling with more people than normal, and a feeling of excitement was in the air. The castle, whose grounds stood not too far away, had people waiting around it. No doubt to get a glimpse of the visiting king. Yuuri and Phichit made quick work to get what they needed, hurrying from stall to stall among the crowd. Vicchan tried to keep up, but mostly got distracted by the attention of passing children. Many of the vendors were happy to finally get customers when everyone around them was busy preparing for the visit. 

“Why did we have to pick this day to come here?” Phichit complained as they wove through the swarms of people between stalls. 

“Bad luck, but we only have one more item to get anyways-” 

“Yuuri, look!” Phichit shrieked as the crowds of people began to grow in volume. 

Yuuri turned to see a grand carriage came into the square and towards the palace. The people flocking it were being escorted aside by mage-knights wearing an unknown emblem on their chest. The carriage strode up towards the palace and people soon followed in suit. 

“Over here, Yuuri,” Phichit said as he grabbed Yuuri’s hand and led him over to a door. Vicchan wove quickly through the crowd to keep up, avoiding running people by only inches at times. 

“What are you doing?” Yuuri asked in shock. 

“I want to get a better look.” 

Yuuri pulled his hand away, nerves taking over, “Phichit… I don’t know if I can see them.”

Phichit’s smile dropped, “I know it may be hard, but don’t you at least want to know what they look like? That could be helpful for the future.” 

Phichit had a point. Yuuri reluctantly followed him into the building which he soon found out was a clocktower. They rushed up the winding steps and stepped out onto the balcony, Vicchan only steps behind. The large bell stood proudly in the center of the room, glowing with the magic that made it go off on the hour. Yuuri and Phichit went over to the railing and found that they had a good up-high view of the castle. Surprisingly, no one else had thought to make the climb. 

The visiting king’s carriage pulled up to the castle and stopped outside. A herald’s voice was heard over the chaos with a projection spell. 

“Introducing,” The voice rang out, “The King of Candea, Jean-Jacques Leroy!” 

The people erupted into applause as the king stepped out of his carriage. He was adorned in a long red cape and wore a gaudy crown on his head. He strode about as if he owned Grande himself. A woman soon followed after him who not making as much of a fuss, but she did look adoringly towards the king. Although people were cheering, Yuuri couldn’t see the appeal. He seemed just like all of the other royals: full of himself. 

“And now, our very own. Introducing Kings Alcandor and Eden Nikiforov and Prince Victor Nikiforov!” 

The palace doors opened and out walked the royal family. As if they had done this hundreds of times before, they walked with confidence and purpose, and the crowd responded with their cheers. 

Yuuri’s blood ran cold. There he was: King Alcandor. He hadn’t changed much in the last ten years. He maybe looked a bit older, but still held that unique glance that could easily be mistaken for kindness, though Yuuri knew that wasn’t true. After all those years of running from and fearing that man, it seemed odd to see him now. His initial fear began to creep up, but he quickly reminded himself that he could not see him nor smell him. He turned his attention to King Eden. Never before in Yuuri’s life had he seen another male omega. King Eden had a certain grace that Alcandor lacked and a gentler smile. While Alcandor wore a traditional suit, King Eden wore a long coat with a train trailing behind him. It flowed as gracefully as he did, and Yuuri could tell that it was made with him in mind. Despite his large age difference over his mate, he looked almost younger than him. 

Finally, Yuuri decided to look at the man whom he had once been intended for. He looked, wanting to hate and despise this person immediately, but what he saw took him by surprise. 

Victor. Victor stood in the place intended for the prince. His Victor. Yuuri’s heart felt as if it had stopped beating. Surely that couldn’t be the same man who visited him every night.

But it was. 

He had that same dazzling smile, that same gorgeous silver hair, and, even though he was so far away, he had the same breathtaking qualities that Yuuri had come to know. 

Victor’s voice rang out with a projection spell, “King Jean-Jacques. We have been eagerly expecting your arrival. Please, allow me to formally welcome you and your mate to the kingdom of Grande.” 

The crowd erupted once again, but Yuuri found himself on the floor of the tower, eyes wide with shock. He shook with a fear that he hadn’t known since he finally settled down in Detrot, knowing that the man he had slowly come to know was the same person who had driven him away all those years ago. 

“Is… Is Prince Victor the same person as your Victor?” Phichit asked cautiously, not sure how to react himself. 

Yuuri slowly nodded, “I-I can’t believe this… how?” 

“Yuuri, are you going to be alright?” 

Yuuri didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed Phichit’s hand and spoke, “We need to leave.” 

“Right,” Phichit looked around, “Come on, stand up.” 

With Phichit’s help, Yuuri made his way to his feet and began his descent down from the clock tower. Since teleportation directly in the city was illegal, Phichit quickly helped Yuuri get to the gates. Vicchan, who was trailing behind them, had activated a calming spell after sensing his mage’s distress. It helped, but did not take away the feeling completely. They staggered out of the city gates, catching the attention of the mage-knights from before. 

“Hey!” The small one shouted, “What are you-”

But they never got to hear what the small knight had to say. Yuuri cast the teleportation spell and they were outside of the tavern in seconds. 

"Yuuri," Phichit said, "will you be alright?" 

Yuuri's heart beat faster and faster in his chest, "No. No this is not alright. Victor is the same person who wanted to keep me locked up ten years ago. If I... If I hadn't left, I would have had to stay with him! And all of his... pushy, annoying, infuriating-" 

"I thought you liked him?" 

"Well, maybe I did. But now I don't... I can't! Not after everything that has happened!" 

"Please, try to be-"

“Yuuri!” A woman’s voice called from down the road. He turned to see the drunken beta woman who came to the tavern every night running towards him, holding something in her only arm that looked to be parchment. She seemed sober, which was the first time Yuuri had seen her looking as such. 

“Hello,” He said as she got closer, “Is everything alright?” 

She smiled, something Yuuri never thought he’d see her do, “I got a letter from the palace! It said that they wanted to help me find a job.”

Yuuri’s eyes widened in surprise, “Really? After all these years…” His voice trailed off as he realized what happened, and all he wanted to do was crawl in the corner and die. 

He had told Victor straight to his face how much he hated royals. How much the people around him hated royals. But, instead of punishing them for it, Victor had… helped? 

“I was surprised too,” The beta woman went on, “but this is so amazing! Look, it’s signed by the prince himself!” 

Yuuri looked at the letter to see Victor Nikiforov’s name signed in curly script right at the bottom. So it was true. 

“I always thought that he was kind when I was in the mage-knights, but I never imagined that he would do something like this!” She looked up from the letter to meet Yuuri’s eyes, “I came here wanting to say thank you. All those nights I spent in Yutopia… I could have very well been injured or taken advantage of in my state. But you looked out for me, you looked out for everybody. You let me talk when no one else would listen, so thank you.” 

Yuuri wasn’t sure what to say, so he just sat there in shock as she turned away and began to leave with a huge smile on her face. Her stride that was once slow and heavy was now excited and light and with purpose. Victor had done this. He spent lord knows how long trying to find which mage-knight she was just to help her. 

“Do you think he… he did that because of what I said?” 

“Yuuri!” another voice sounded. He turned to see Leo and Guang Hong both approaching him. They both seemed excited and happy, which was rare around Detrot. Leo came up and started talking first. 

“Tonight will be my last night playing in the tavern… at least for now.” 

Yuuri was confused, “Why?” 

“The castle is sponsoring free housing for people wanting to find jobs at the capital for a few weeks. The annual music festival and mage-knight recruitments are going on at the same time, and we received personal invitations to attend from the prince,” Leo explained. 

“Yeah! We are going to travel up there tomorrow morning. I still don’t understand why the prince would invite us of all people, but we can not pass this up.” 

“Anyway,” Leo said, “I wanted to tell you I won’t be there tomorrow night, and, if things go well, I might never be back again. I love Detrot, but it brings… unpleasant memories. If you need a new player for the band, there’s an omega girl who lives next to the lake with her parents who is actually very good. Her family would benefit from it too.” 

Yuuri nodded, “That’s an amazing opportunity for you two. I’ll be sure to ask about the girl.” 

“Thank you, Yuuri, for giving me this job. I don’t know where I would be without it.” 

Yuuri smiled, “It’s been a pleasure.” 

As they walked away, Yuuri found himself smiling at how far the two had come. But what was he supposed to do now? Was Victor really different from the other royals of Grande? Or was all of this a ploy? Either way, the whole situation was truly a cruel trick. How could he ever have fallen for the person who he had run away from all those years ago? 

___________

 

As Yuuri cleaned off the counter, a feeling of dread began to pool in his stomach. He knew that Victor could walk through that door at any moment, and, despite his actions, Yuuri was still scared to face him now that he knew who he was. What if Victor found out about him? If it had been anyone else, he could maybe do something about it, but even Yuuri couldn’t fight against multiple mage-knights if they came to arrest him. Did Victor know this whole time? What if he had just come to take back what he thought belonged to him? 

Yuuri shivered at the thought. He couldn’t think about things like that right now. Not while he had to be watching the tavern. As he worked later into the night, the feeling of dread still lingered with him, almost to the point where Yuuri just wished Victor would walk through those doors and get rid of that feeling of anticipation. He almost began to believe that Victor wasn’t coming, but then, as every night before, the door was pushed open and in walked the perfectly put-together man known as Victor Nikiforov. Looking back, Yuuri should have guessed that he was the prince all along. No one looked that beautiful or dressed that nicely unless they had a significant amount of money. Victor flashed his charming smile. 

“Yuuri!” He cheered and walked over to him. If Yuuri had been confused as to why he wanted to spend time with him before, he was astounded now. What made this man, the third most powerful person in the country by name, want to leave his expensive castle every night and talk to Yuuri?

“Hello!” Victor said as he drew up to the counter, “How was the rest of your day?” 

“...Alright,” Yuuri said hesitantly, heart pounding harder in his chest.

Victor seemed concerned, “Yuuri? Dear? Are you alright?” 

“I’m afraid I’m not…”

“Would you like to talk about it-” 

Yuuri hesitated, not sure how to proceed, “Well, I-I saw something interesting today.” 

“Oh? Like what?” 

“I… I saw you. At the capital… Your Highness.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooo, so close to 900 kudos! Thank you all so much! That's like four times the amount of people at my school XD 
> 
> I went to a convention over the weekend and saw quite a few good YOI cosplays! It was beautiful ^_^ I went as Pidge from Voltron (and lemme tell you sewing that damn sweatshirt was an experience to say the least.) Totally worth it though, so many people wanted pictures!
> 
> As usual, I edit these by myself. So, if you happen to see any mistakes, feel free to let me know!


	8. When We Talk...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor talk...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was convinced I wouldn't get this done in time, so yay for being wrong! It is a bit shorter than normal, but I promise the next one will be longer! ;) Enjoy!

Victor was excited. Not only had the ceremony earlier that day gone very well, but he finally had time to himself to go see Yuuri. Earlier that morning, he gave him a kiss for the first time ever, and he was hoping to sneak in another before the night was over. He couldn’t wait to talk to him again, never growing tired of listening to the alpha speak. He eagerly opened the tavern door and flashed a smile towards the counter where he knew Yuuri would be working. 

“Yuuri!” He cheered as he walked over to him, “How was the rest of your day?” 

“...Alright,” Yuuri said slowly. Victor instantly was concerned. What could have possibly made him this upset in the time that they had been apart? 

“Yuuri? Dear? Are you alright?”

“I’m afraid I’m not…”

“Would you like to talk about it-”

At first, Yuuri didn’t say anything, but he began to mumble out some words, “Well, I-I saw something interesting today.”

“Oh? Like what?” 

“I… I saw you. At the capital… Your Highness.” 

Victor’s smile dropped. Yuuri saw him. He hadn’t been planning on keeping his status a secret for long, but he also had planned on telling him himself. 

“Oh,” Victor said after a few moments of silence, “Is… is that a problem?” 

Yuuri didn’t respond, only turned his face to the ground. Victor was worried that something was wrong, but, when he moved to look, Yuuri was crying. 

“Yuuri!? What... what’s so wrong-” 

Without even responding, Yuuri ran around the counter and sprinted out the door. Victor hardly had any time to think before he followed him. He ran out the door and looked around, but Yuuri was nowhere to be seen. The forest surrounding Yutopia was thick and he could be anywhere. Victor sighed and quickly tried to come up with a solution. Why did Yuuri run away from him? Victor knew he hated royalty, but was he really scared of them too? Yuuri always acted very brave and seeing him like this was shocking. He had to know what was happening. 

Victor walked back into the tavern and quickly caught sight of Yuuri’s friend and apprentice Phichit. Although they hadn’t talked much, Victor needed him now more than ever. 

“Phichit!” He exclaimed as he made his way over to the mage. 

The beta’s eyes widened when he caught sight of Victor, and he seemed to get a little nervous. Did Phichit know about Victor too?

“I tried talking to Yuuri, but he ran away. Do you have any idea where he might be?” 

“... Well, why are you asking?” 

“What do you mean? I just said that he ran away.”

“And what do you plan on doing when you find him?” 

Victor was taken aback, “W-well I plan on talking to him. He… he told me that he found out I was the prince. I know he doesn’t like us, but don’t want what we have to be destroyed by this. Please, you have to help me.” 

Phichit seemed hesitant, but he finally talked, “...He’s probably by the lake. He likes it down there and it calms him.” 

“Thank you,” Victor said and turned to leave, but Phichit stopped him by placing his hand on Victor’s shoulder. 

“Don’t hurt him more,” he said harrowingly. His voice was almost a whisper that sent chills down Victor’s spine. 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” 

Phichit let go of his shoulder and Victor instantly took off running. The lake itself wasn’t too far away from Yutopia, but, in the dark of the forest, it was a bit difficult. As he navigated his way through the trees, Victor wondered how Yuuri did it so quickly. Years of living there certainly helped. 

Once he finally made his way to the clearing with the lake, Victor looked around, eager to catch sight of his Yuuri. The lake itself was enchanted to always have clean and plentiful water for the town and let off a faint glow in the night. And, in the blue light, he saw him. Yuuri. He was sitting near the water while hanging his head down. Victor walked over to him slowly, hoping not to scare him away again. His heart skipped a few beats as he got closer, but he didn’t stop until he was close enough to touch him. Yuuri had to have heard him by now. 

“... Yuuri? Dear?” Victor said hesitantly. 

“Victor…” 

“Are you alright?” 

“... I’m not sure.” 

“Do you really not like me that much?” 

“N-no it’s not that… I just…” 

“You said you didn’t want to talk about your experience with royalty… but maybe I can help?” 

Yuuri shook his head slowly, “It was a long time ago…” 

Victor held out his hand to Yuuri, “So why don’t we move on? Together.” 

He looked at his outstretched hand, but didn’t move to take it. Victor took in a deep breath and kneeled to be sitting next to him, “Yuuri, I can’t change what happened, but I want to change the future. You know, you weren’t entirely wrong when you said King Eden doesn’t get a much of a say in the kingdom’s affairs. Which is unfortunate, because what he does do he always does for the good of his people. I will be the first to admit that Alcandor is not perfect. Neither am I nor King Eden for that matter. It can be hard living in a castle so far away from the people who you lead. We don’t see what’s happening, and we often ignore it. But coming here and talking to you… You made me see the life beyond what the castle. People suffer, people cry, people have more to them than just faces and a role to play. Each one has their own story and their own hardships. And, despite all of it, they still find joy. It’s amazing.”

Yuuri had stopped crying and was now staring at the lake. He didn’t move at Victor’s words. 

“You also showed me something I never thought I’d feel. Love. You share your love more than anyone I’ve ever met. And… I fell in love with it too. I’m sorry I’m not who you want me to be. I can’t be that. But I can’t imagine taking the throne without you by my side. We could strive to make the country… our country… better for the people who live in it. I-I love you, Yuuri. I’m sorry…” 

Victor went to walk away but was stopped when a hand took his. He turned to see Yuuri looking at him wide, tear-filled eyes. His lip quivered, yet he still talked. 

“V-Victor… I’m not upset with you. I’m more upset with myself. I-I want to hate you. I want to hate everything about you… but I can’t. I love you too. Don’t be sorry for who you are, because you’re not just a prince. You’re Victor. And I love that.” 

Tears began to swell in Victor’s eyes and he launched forward and gathered Yuuri into a hug. The alpha in question chuckled at his actions and hugged back. And they sat there, in silent contentment, for many moments before Victor spoke again. 

“Will you please give me, Victor Nikiforov, a chance?” 

Yuuri nodded slowly, a smile forming on his lips. Victor was so overcome with joy that he leaned forward and gave Yuuri a kiss. This time, Yuuri didn’t seem surprised at all and leaned in, hoping to deepen it himself. It wasn’t exactly how Victor imagined this moment going, but he was all too happy to be holding Yuuri in his arms. 

The duo made their way through the forest and back to Yutopia. With Yuuri’s help, they made it back much faster than Victor did the first time. Yuuri called light magic to lead the way, and Victor silently scolded himself for not thinking of that sooner. Once they found themselves outside the small tavern, Victor was struck with inspiration.

“I have an idea,” he said while pulling away to face Yuuri directly. 

“And what is that?” 

“Why don’t you come to the castle to meet my parents? I know you probably still think badly of us, but this could show you what we are really like! King Jean-Jacques is visiting and I could introduce you as my date for dinner. You could meet the mage-knights and my familiar Makkachin! What do you think?” 

“Me? Go to the castle? I’m just a tavern keeper…” 

“Nonsense! You’re so much more than that! I promise my parents will love you! Eden has been begging for me to bring you up there anyways, and Alcandor will really just be happy that I found somebody.” 

“I-I don’t know... “ 

“Please, Yuuri? I promise it’ll be great!” 

Yuuri looked at Victor who was smiling down at him. A feeling of relief seemed to come over his face and he slowly nodded, “Alright. I’ll go.” 

Victor gasped with delight and leaned in to give Yuuri another kiss. He couldn’t wait for his parents to see how great Yuuri is, and for Yuuri to see how great they are.

 

_________________

 

“So… let me get this straight,” King Alcandor spoke to Victor as they talked in a sitting room the next day, “You’ve been sneaking out at night to see a boy in another town who you want to be your mate?” 

Victor nodded, “Yes, but his name is Yuuri.” 

The king nodded, “And you want him… Yuuri... to come to visit us here at the castle?” 

“Yes.” 

“I should be mad at you for sneaking out.” 

“He’s twenty-six, darling, this was bound to happen,” King Eden commented.

“But what if something happened in the night that needed his attention? It’s irresponsible.” 

Victor looked down, “I’m sorry-” 

He was waved off, “Don’t let it happen again. Tell us if you plan to leave.” 

“Right.” 

“So, this Yuuri… He’s an alpha?” 

“Yes.” 

“I didn’t take you for that type.” 

“Honestly, I didn’t either, but here we are.” 

“And you think he’ll be a good leader?” 

“Should we choose to mate, yes, I do.” 

King Alcandor took in a deep breath, “Well, I suppose we should meet him then.” 

Eden beamed with delight, “Oh, this is exciting! When is he coming, dear?” 

“Tomorrow night.” 

“Alcandor, love, aren’t you excited?” 

Alcandor grumbled to himself, “I’m glad you finally have made a decision, but we do not know this person. Remember, if we say that we don’t think he would be a good enough leader, then that’s the final say.” 

Victor was taken back, forgetting that someone could ever dislike Yuuri, “I’m confident that you will love him.”

“And we are too, dear. Now, tell us about him!” King Eden commented cheerfully, trying to change the mood.

“He lives in a small town a couple days walk from here. Detrot. He owns a tavern there. You two should see him in action. Whenever someone causes too much trouble in the tavern, Yuuri handles them with his magic-”

“Oh? He must be strong.” 

“Yes, papa, he is. Stronger than I am in magic anyway.” 

“And he never thought to join the mage-knights?” 

“He does a great job protecting the town he lives in already, I think that he felt more useful there. Aside from his magic, he is very kind and brave. I think he gets a bit too nervous at times, but, when it counts, he is always ready to help people who need it.” 

“He sounds like a great leader to me, don’t you think so, Alcandor?” 

“... Yes, I suppose so. We still have to meet him.” 

“In other news, how is the visiting king settling in?” Victor asked curiously.

“Well, you know how King Jean-Jacques is,” King Eden commented slowly, “He made himself at home almost instantly.” 

Victor laughed, “I suppose Sir Yuri has already picked a fight with his guards.” 

The other two laughed alongside him, “Yes, he never could stand that king,” King Eden commented through his chuckles. Victor loved this. His family just laughing and acting like a normal lot. He hoped that he could show Yuuri this side of them tomorrow, so he could see just how great they can be. 

 

___________________________

 

“Did the flowers in the front get replenished?” 

“Yes, Your Highness.” 

“What about the food? Did they make what I requested?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” 

“What about-” 

“Victor! Stop harassing that poor lady,” a voice sounded from across the room. 

Victor turned to see Chris standing in the doorway of the main hall, giving him a playfully disappointed look. 

“I can’t help it! I’m nervous.” 

Chris came over and took the maid’s hand, “I’m sorry, my dear, you may leave.” She blushed and went away, no doubt to gossip to the others about what was happening. Word travelled fast in the castle. 

“I still cannot believe you managed to seduce that alpha,” Chris said when she was gone, “Lord knows I’ve tried.”

“Which is why you failed,” Victor said jokingly, before becoming nervous once again, “Does my suit look alright? I don’t want him to think-” 

“Victor, if he liked you when he thought that you were just a traveller, then he’s going to love you now.” 

“I wish it were that simple,” Victor sighed, “He doesn’t like royalty. He thinks we’re oblivious and selfish. I want to show him how we really are.” 

“So… oblivious and selfish?” 

“Chris!” 

“I was only joking!” Chris laughed, “It’ll be fine. And if you mess up, you always have King Jackass to make you look better.” 

“I suppose you’re right… And you better be careful who you say that around while he is visiting.” 

Chris shrugged, “He spends too much time looking in the mirror to pay attention to what I say.” 

Victor only rolled his eyes, but kept talking, “I want to introduce Yuuri to the mage-knights tonight. Please, I’m begging you, make sure everyone is on their best behavior.” 

“Whatever could you mean? I’m always the pinnacle of good behavior.” 

“It’s not you I’m worried about, as long as you keep your wandering hands to yourself.” Chris laughed, making Victor nervous, but he continued anyway, “I need tonight to be perfect.” 

“I doubt he’s looking for perfect Victor. That seems like too high of a standard.” 

“I suppose you’re right.” 

“After all, he did fall for you. His standards must be extremely low.” 

“Chris!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, guys! 1000 kudos! I can't believe it! I could never have imagined that this fic could have gotten this far... And I would like to do something to celebrate! I was thinking about maybe doing a one-shot? Let me know what you'd like to see! It can be anything from this universe as long as it isn't in the future and would spoil the story. It could even be in another YOI universe if you want. Maybe like mage-knight Yurio/Beka interaction or Yuuri's first few nights on his own? Just let me know!
> 
> As always, I edit these by myself, so a heads-up to any mistakes is appreciated. Thanks! ^_^


	9. The Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri takes a trip to the castle...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack, sorry this one took a bit longer than others. You know how it is with finals and crap. Enjoy! ^_^

“Yuuri, are you sure you want to do this?” 

“No, but what choice do I have?” 

“... I don’t know. I don’t want to lose you.” 

Yuuri looked up at Phichit who was staring at the floor in sadness. He sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“I don’t want to leave you either, but, the way I see it, I’ve dug myself into a hole. The only thing I can do now is try to run away or stay and keep playing this role. And, well, I really do like Victor. A lot. I can’t really imagine myself without him. It’s a cruel trick, me falling for the man I ran away from, but I can’t go back now.” 

“But what if the king recognizes you? What if you decide to mate? He’ll know you’re not an alpha if you can’t knot.” 

“Uh… I’ll tell him I’m a beta who wanted to appear stronger? That’s not a crime.”

“What if you get pregnant?” 

Yuuri froze, never having considered that possibility before.

“I-I just won’t.” 

“Yuuri, that’s not how that works.” 

“I know! I’m sure I can figure out a spell or something that stops that from happening.” 

Phichit sighed, “You’re really going to do this? We could leave and go to another town where they won’t find us.” 

“I’m sorry Phichit. I have to do this. Besides, if we leave, who’s going to watch over Detrot? I need you to stay here.” 

Phichit didn’t say anything but seemed to reluctantly accept Yuuri’s pleas. Yuuri took a deep breath.

“Just in case I have to flee from the castle, remember what I told you. Chill the bottles every night, keep an eye on all the patrons, and, should mage-knights come and question you, you had no idea that I was an omega. Understand?” 

Slowly nodding his head, Phichit agreed to Yuuri’s plan. Yuuri continued to pack his bag, making sure to subtly include items he would need should he have to run away again.

Yuuri picked up his bag and took one last look around the tavern where he had lived for the past few years. All of the good memories and all bad memories flooded into his mind and suddenly it felt like no time at all has passed. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he quickly turned away for fear that Phichit may see. 

“Alright. I suppose I should be going. Farewell, Phichit.” 

Phichit sniffled, “Farewell.” 

And, with that, Yuuri left the tavern, unsure of what was to come.

 

_________________

 

Getting to the capital was easy enough. Going through the capital was a breeze. The problem started when Yuuri got to the castle itself. The giant gates that lead to the front door were shut tight, and Yuuri was unsure of how to get past them. He began to question himself and thought about turning back when the gates suddenly began to open. 

“Yuuri!” a voice sounded. 

Victor stood on the pathway to the castle while being flanked by two knights: a tall blonde alpha and a dark-haired beta. Walking towards them, Yuuri recognized one as the mage-knight who stood guard at the gate the other day and the other as a regular customer and Victor’s friend. They soon were face-to-face.

“I’m so happy you made it!” Victor cheered, “This is Chris, he’s my good friend and right-hand man.” 

“Hello, Dear,” The mage-knight said with a wink. 

“And this is Otabek. He’ll be a general when I take over the throne.” 

“Pleased to meet you.” 

Yuuri smiled, “And you.” 

“Come inside!” Victor smiled as he led Yuuri in through the castle doors, “Welcome to the castle!” Victor said brightly as they entered. Yuuri was in awe. The expensive palace looked beautiful on the outside, but, on the inside, it was even more gorgeous. A chandelier hung from the ceiling and illuminated the room with light magic that could change color with a simple wave of the hand. It was only the main entryway, but Yuuri was sure it was the nicest place he'd ever been. 

“Do you like it?” Victor asked, a hopeful gleam in his eye. 

“It’s beautiful.” 

“This isn’t even the good part, wait until you see the main-” 

“Oi! Victor!” a new voice shouted. 

The short blonde haired alpha from the gate the other day came storming into the room, face red as a tomato. He was clearly angry and blamed the prince for his plight. 

“Yes, Yurio?” Victor asked calmly.

“It’s Yuri,” He scowled. 

Victor only gave an amused laugh, “Of course, what do you need?” 

“Why would you put me on guard duty for King Jackass?! If he goes on for one more minute about how great Candea is I’ll push him off a bridge!” 

“Awe, Yurio, you wouldn’t do that.” 

If looks could kill, Victor would be dead. “Listen,” Yurio sighed, “put someone else on to guard him. I can’t deal with him.” 

Yuuri was surprised by Yurio’s brashness with the prince. Surely a knight couldn’t talk like that to royalty? 

“I’ll take over for you,” Chris said slyly.

Yurio seemed suspicious, “You… will?” 

“Of course. We wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable, after all.” 

His face looked genuine enough, but something in his tone conveyed a sense of mischief that Yuuri was suspected would come back to bite Yurio later. Overtaken by the to-good-to-be-true offer, Yurio nodded his head. 

“Alright.” 

Chris turned to Yuuri, grabbed his hand, and kissed it, “I’ll see you later, dear.”

Victor gave Chris a little glare as he sauntered off, leaving Yurio with the other three. Yuuri wasn’t sure, but, judging by his body language, he was very close with Sir Otabek. Victor quickly shook these thoughts from his head as he began to lead him up some stairs. 

“My fathers are upstairs in one of the sitting rooms. They are so excited to meet you!” 

Anxiety built up in Yuuri’s stomach, “I-I am too.”

“Good!”

Soon, the group found themselves at a door. Victor gave Yuuri a reassuring smile before opening the door. Oh, if he only knew...

Victor pulled Yuuri through the door and he soon caught sight of two men sitting on a long chair. Yuuri’s heart beat faster in his chest. There he was. Alcandor: the king of Grande. 

“Father, Papa,” Victor said as he stood in the door, “This is Katsuki Yuuri!” 

The royal duo looked up from their conversation and found Yuuri’s eyes. All was silent for a few moments, and Yuuri could feel the tension in the air. Alcandor’s judging glance burned holes in his head, and Yuuri was certain that he remembered him. This was it. It had to be. 

“...Yuuri,” Alcandor said slowly while standing up. He crossed the room so he was directly in front of the omega, his alpha pheromones coming strongly off his body in intense waves. He took in a deep breath, “Welcome. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He held out his hand for Yuuri to take.

Yuuri was in shock. He quickly regained his bearings and grabbed the king’s large hand, “And you.” 

King Eden was quick to jump into the mix as well, “Oh, I’ve waited so long! You’re just as beautiful as Vitya described!” 

“Papa! You have no personal boundaries.” 

“Oh? So that’s where you get it from?” Yuuri said with slight hesitance, earning him laughs from Eden and a slight smile from Alcandor. 

“So, Vitya tells us you run a tavern in Detrot. Tell us about that,” Alcandor said once his husband’s laughter ceased. He lead the group over to the chairs while he talked. 

“O-oh, well what would you like to know?” 

“How long have you been doing that?” 

“About four years.” 

“And your family?” 

“Dead, I’m afraid. Bandit attacks.” 

“Oh, you poor dear,” Eden commented, placing his hand on Yuuri’s knee. He found himself instantly feeling more at ease despite his circumstances. Yuuri briefly wondered if Eden knew calming magic, but pushed the thought away when Alcandor began to talk again. 

“You’re a fairly strong alpha I see. That’s impressive. Especially since you’ve been living on your own for so long.” 

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” 

“What types of magic do you train in?” Eden piped in.

“Well… Combat mostly. I try to learn as much as I can. I know cuisine, healing, charms, light, and dabble in almost everything else.” 

“Wow, Vitya, you have some catching up to do,” Eden laughed, earning a smile from his son. 

“I suppose I do.” 

“Alright! Time for the interesting questions.” 

“Interesting questions?” 

“Of course! How did you meet?” 

“I-I, well…”

“I went to visit Yuuri’s tavern with Chris one night. While I was there, Yuuri stopped an alpha from making advances on an omega girl. I guess you could say I was charmed.” 

Yuuri blushed, “You were the charming one.”

Victor laughed, “That’s not how I remember it. You didn’t want anything to do with me for the longest time.” 

Eden burst out laughing, “Vitya does have a way of coming on a bit strong.”

“Papa, you know I-”

“Eden!” a loud voice shouted into the room. In the doorway stood the most confident man Yuuri had ever laid eyes on: King Jean-Jacques. He strode into the room without a thought, Chris snickering to himself and trailing in behind him. 

“... Hello, Jean-Jacques,” King Eden said slowly, his excited demeanor replaced with one of annoyance. Alcandor didn’t say anything, but, by the new smell in the room, he seemed to be slightly angry. 

“I heard there was a meeting taking place in here and thought I’d grace you with my presence.” 

“And who did you hear that from?”

“You’re mage-knight Charles.”

“It’s Chris, Your Majesty.” 

“Ah! Right, Chris. He told me that you would love to have my company.” 

“How... kind of him.” 

Glancing over, Yuuri saw that Yurio’s face was red with anger. He was glaring at Chris with a face that could kill as the mage-knight slyly smiled back.

“So, what are we discussing?” 

Victor stood up and held out his hand for Yuuri to take, “This is Katsuki Yuuri. My mate.” 

“Mate?!” Eden and Alcandor said simultaneously. 

Yuuri immediately turned to Victor, cheeks burning red, “Victor! We aren’t-” 

“I remember when I met my mate Isabella. It was very romantic, probably the most romantic encounter to ever occur. 

“Oh? Was it now?” 

“Of course! Would you like to hear it?” 

“Uh, I’m afraid-” 

“It started when I was sixteen.” 

Yuuri and Victor looked at each other, knowing this wasn’t going to end anytime soon.

 

___________________

 

“That was cruel,” Yuuri said to Victor once they were finally outside. 

“Yes, yes it was.” 

"Why did you say that I am your mate? We aren't-"

“I want to take you to meet the mage-knights!” Victor interrupted.

“...I’ve already met many of them.” 

Victor laughed, “Well then this won’t be a big deal.”

He pulled Yuuri down the halls of the castle until they finally came outside to a large arena. Mage-knights were fighting there and many didn't seem to notice the Prince. He yelled above them.

"Everyone! Come over here!" 

The crew slowly put down their weapons and made their way over to the duo Victor turned to Yuuri and explained, "These mage-knights are my personal regiment. They'll become the main group when we take the throne."

“Please, he couldn’t be the next king. He won’t even fight,” Yurio's voice called over the crowd. Many of the eyes became judgemental, and Yuuri found himself feeling anxious. 

“Fighting doesn’t prove strength.” 

“Then what does?” 

“Fighting when you are needed to fight.” 

The young alpha sneered, “Well I need you to fight right now.” 

“No.” 

“Well, that’s a shame. I wanted to fight you myself,” a new voice said from behind Yuuri. 

The whole group turned to see a brown-haired woman standing there. Yuuri recognized her instantly. It was the omega woman who helped him escape. He never learned her name, but he could never forget her face. 

“General?” Chris wondered aloud, “What do you want to fight him for?” 

“I see… potential. What do you say? Why don’t you show me how far you’ve come?” 

She remembered him. She had to. Yuuri had to prove right then and there that she had done the right thing.

“Alright.” 

“What!? Too afraid to fight an alpha, are you?” Yurio sneered.

Otabek put his hand on his shoulder, “You know the General could beat any of us, beta or not.” 

Yurio huffed but didn’t say anything more. Yuuri almost felt bad for him. He was still just a young boy, but he was already fighting alongside adults. Remembering how eager he used to be to fight, Yuuri turned to the young alpha.

“I promise we can fight someday. Alright?” 

“... Alright.” 

Yuuri turned back to the General, “I’m afraid I never got your name.” 

“Yuuri, this is General Minako. She is highly respected in my fathers’ court for her battle ability. Are you sure you want to take her on?” 

“Of course.” 

Minako smiled, “Good.” 

The General made her way to the battlefield, stopping next to Yuuri on her way there, “You’ve really grown up.” 

She made her way to the opposite end of the field and waited for Victor to commence the match. The Prince seemed hesitant, but he started to announce the scrimmage anyways. 

 

“The match will begin on my count of three. One.” 

Yuuri bent his knees, narrowing his eyes at his opponent. This was his chance to finally show her that she made the right choice.

 

“Two.” 

The General stared at him with a look of challenge. She didn’t think this battle would last long.

“Three!” 

Yuuri instantly summoned a light shield, protecting himself from a fireball that was headed his way. He took off towards the side of the field, blocking anything that she threw at him. While he was blocking fire, she summoned water below his feet and Yuuri tumbled in the mud. The General went in to hit him with her sword, but Yuuri teleported to the other end, giving him enough time to stand up.

“Teleporting? Interesting.” 

The General spun, effectively launching ice shards in every direction in the boundaries. Yuuri knew they would pierce through his light shield, so he launched himself into the air and threw fire towards the incoming shards. They melted before they could meet him and flew towards the General who only had to move to dodge. 

“Very good.” 

“I learned from the best.” 

She smirked, “Of course.” 

Now, the General didn’t make any movement. She wanted Yuuri to attack. Not having much choice, Yuuri slammed his fists into the ground and caused an exploding chain to head in her direction. It split, effectively trapping her in between two. She teleported her way out but landed a bit too close to Yuuri. He swung his shield at her chest, knocking her to the ground. She kicked out his legs and he landed beside her. The sword that she carried swung towards his head but missed its intended mark. It did, however, hit Yuuri’s arm. Blood poured from his wound as he struggled to his feet. The General was up only moments later and hit him hard with her shield, sending him across the battlefield. She walked towards him slowly.

“I was hoping you would put up more of a fight.”

Yuuri looked up. No. It couldn’t end like this. 

He teleported behind her and cast a quick healing spell. The torn skin began to heal itself, but it needed a moment to fully come together. She turned and threw ice shards at him again, ridding herself of her shield to cast the spell. Yuuri moved to dodge and made a dome of ice around himself so he could heal. She instantly began pounding on it. Yuuri knew he only had moments before she broke through. What could he do? 

The ice dome shattered suddenly and Yuuri teleported out of the way of the falling debris. He knew what he had to do. He summoned a light sword and charged at the General, his arm fully healed. She didn’t have time to turn around by the time he came up and hit her. She fell to the ground. Yuuri went in for one last shot, but he soon found himself at the sharp end of her sword, just like she was at his. The two stared at each other for several moments, intensely trying to determine what the other would do next. The General simply smiled. 

“I’m impressed,” She said before dropping her sword, effectively ending the battle in a tie. 

Yuuri smiled back, “Thank you. It means so much.” 

He turned to see the other mage-knights, who were looking on in awe. Victor was the first to speak. 

“N-no one has ever beaten her before.” 

“I didn’t win. It ended in a draw.” 

“B-but that’s still impossible! How did…” 

“Victor,” The General said to the stuttering king, “Nothing is impossible. Especially in battle.” 

The whole crowd of mage-knights erupted into loud talking and arguing over who actually won, and Minako turned to Yuuri over the noise. 

“Why are you here? With him? You ran away, remember?” 

Yuuri looked down at the ground, “I-I don’t know. I can’t stop myself.” 

She took a deep breath, “I hope you know what you’re doing.” 

“Me too.” 

 

____________________

 

“I still cannot believe you did that.” 

Yuuri laughed at Victor, “I’m glad I made a good impression.” 

“You did more than that. I don’t think any of them will question you ever again.”

The couple was strolling through the blue rose garden at the back of the castle. The setting sun in the background made Victor’s already beautiful face seem ever more gorgeous. Yuuri forced himself to look away. 

“I’ve never seen blue roses before.” 

“They’re magic. Father planted them after Papa mentioned one day that he would love to see a blue rose.” 

“So he planted a whole garden?” 

Victor laughed, “My father tends to do things to the extreme.”

“Just like someone else I know.” 

The two walked on in silence for awhile, a comfortable aura between them. Suddenly, Victor stopped. 

“Yuuri, what I told King Jean-Jacques earlier about us being mates… I know it wasn’t true at the time, but why don’t we make it true?” 

“W-what?” 

“I love you. I, truly, truly love you,” Victor looked down at Yuuri with care in his eyes, “Would you please stay by my side forever? Please? I’ll make your life as perfect as I possibly can. You won’t ever have to face the danger of the world alone again. I think I’ll cry if you say no.” 

Yuuri, who was in shock, didn’t answer for a few moments. Victor looked concerned.

“Yuuri? Yuuri, talk to me!” 

“I-I don’t know what to say.” 

“I-if you don’t feel comfortable, I can always wait-” 

“No!” 

Victor looked surprised. Tears began to stream down Yuuri’s face as he spoke. 

“I-I… I love you too. I would love to be your mate.” 

Victor’s face erupted into a huge smile, and he pulled Yuuri into a kiss. Right there, right then, they were the only two people in the whole world, with only the setting sun and roses to witness it. Nothing else mattered, except for a feeling creeping up in Yuuri’s mind. How is this supposed to work? Will Victor hate him if he ever found out? Should he tell him? Yuuri pushed these thoughts away as he looked into Victor’s eyes, losing himself once again to the strong feeling of love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, you all have amazed me with how lovely you are! Thanks so much for all of the support! As usual, feel free to point out any mistakes you see! This was the first fight scene I've ever written, so any advice would be great.
> 
> If you want, you can go follow my tumblr [here](https://dancinganya.tumblr.com/). I'll probably post updates there when needed and I'd love to get to talk to some of you! There's a link to my personal there too, but I have to warn you that it's pretty random lol. Feel free to ask me anything. 
> 
> It won't be in the coming week, but there is a chance that updates will either be moved to a different day or slow down a bit. I'm working at a summer camp this summer and will be very busy most of the time. The time that I do get off will probably be spent sleeping or with the people that I won't be able to see much while I'm gone. Rest assured, I will still update, but yeah lol.


	10. The Calm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor enjoy some rare time to themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: Hello! Sorry for the long wait! As some of you know, I was working at a summer camp this summer, and I had a blast! But, now, it's back to writing! After such a long wait, I decided to bring not just one chapter, but also a one-shot! It takes place between chapters one and two and is called "Rebuild." It can be viewed on my page! Feel free to check it out! ^_^
> 
> Psst! If you wanna see character descriptions for Alcandor and Eden before you read, go to the notes at the bottom ;)

Victor couldn't believe it. Yuuri agreed to be his mate. He thought back on the version of himself who went to visit him every night and was suddenly grateful for his stubbornness. If it hadn't been for that... who knows where they'd be at now.

After finally pulling away from their kiss, Victor began lead Yuuri back out of the rose garden. They mostly walked in silence, but Victor spoke out of nowhere, wanting to show his mate his world. 

“I have a great idea! Let’s go out.” 

Yuuri looked confused, “Where?” 

“To the capital!”

“I’ve already been to the capital many times.” 

“Yes, but have you ever been there at night?” 

“Well… no. But how different could it really-” 

“Come on!” 

Victor dragged his confused mate out of the garden and into the castle, taking fast steps to get to the front doors. 

“Why are we going so fast?” 

“I don’t want to run into-” 

“Victor!” 

The duo stopped running and turned towards the new voice. They saw Alcandor’s stone-cold face staring back at them. 

“Yes, Father?” 

“Where are you two going?” 

“To the town. I want to show Yuuri around.” 

Alcandor didn’t talk for a few moments, examining the couple, “Alright. I’ll send some mage-knights to go with you.” 

“We can go by ourselves.” 

“Oh, it's no bother really.”

Alcandor waved his hand to cast a summoning spell, and, within moments, three guards teleported themselves to his side. Victor gave a quick sigh of relief upon realizing that the guards were just Yurio, Otabek, and Chris, but was still irritated that he couldn't have Yuuri all to himself. 

“Enjoy your time out,” Alcandor said as he turned away, “I expect that you will tread carefully.” 

Victor turned away, assuming that his father’s ominous threat was meant for himself, and ran towards the castle doors. He dragged Yuuri closely behind him and heard one of his companions sigh in annoyance. 

“Why are we going so fast?” Yuuri asked with concern. 

Victor simply gave him a wink. They quickly found their way through the gates and into the town and looked around. Due to the visiting king, many festivities crowded the streets and vendors worked late into the night. Victor and Yuuri stopped in the square and took in the sight. 

“Victor,” Yuuri asked, pulling his eyes away from the crowd, “aren’t you worried that someone will recognize you?” 

With a flick of his wrist, Victor cast a spell over his head and it shimmered for a bit before settling. Yuuri looked confused. 

“You still look the same.” 

“Only to those who are close to me.” 

Yuuri blushed, quickly trying to turn his attention back to the events. 

“Victor!” And angry voice yelled. 

The duo turned to see Yurio storming in their direction, Otabek and Chris trailing behind with bored looks on their faces. 

“Yes, Yurio?” 

This only seemed to anger him further, “Don’t run off like that.” 

Victor tried his best to look sincere, though anyone could tell he wasn’t, “I’m sorry, dear friend, it won’t happen again.” 

The small alpha huffed but turned his attention to the activities. 

“Victor,” Chris commented, “what are you wanting to do?” 

Victor looked around, examining his options. Suddenly, his face perked up, “How about we get away from all of the noise and head towards the outskirts? Yuuri, does that sound good to you?” 

“Of course-” 

“Great! Come on!” Victor grabbed his mate’s hand and pulled him quickly down another street. They kept running until a turn came up. Victor pulled Yuuri around the corner and quickly shoved him behind an unmanned stall. The annoyed mage-knights rounded the corner, only to see they lost track of their prince. Otabek huffed. 

“What are we supposed to do now?” 

Chris, who Victor so desperately hoped would help him have some time alone with Yuuri, sighed and commented, “He said he wanted to go to the edge of town. We should check there first.” 

The three made their way down the street and were soon out of sight of Victor and Yuuri.

“Should you have done that?” Yuuri asked curiously. 

Victor shook his head. “What are they supposed to tell my father? That they lost me?” 

Yuuri shook his head in amusement, “I see now why your father is so stern. He has to deal with you.”

Victor simply smiled and lead Yuuri back towards the main festivities. 

They walked around, taking in the lights and dancing. Food prepared with cooking magic could be smelt all around the courtyard and square, and people talked joyously along the street sides. It reminded Victor of Yutopia. The worries of the world seemed so far away. 

Yuuri leapt excitedly from stall to stall, examining the beautiful artwork done by traveling artists. His excitement was infectious, and Victor soon found himself admiring the work alongside him. They eventually came up to a vendor selling magical charms. Yuuri picked up a turquoise pendant in the shape of a triangle. 

“This is a protection charm,” Yuuri explained, “They say that whoever you give this to will live forever.” 

Victor laughed, “Well that doesn’t sound very fun.” 

“It’s false too. Magic can do many things, but it can’t cheat the natural forces of the world.” 

Turning his attention back to the stall, Victor pointed at a gold oval-shaped necklace. 

“What about that one?” 

“It’s to help with fertility and pregnancy health. They’re fairly expensive, though, so many people can’t afford one.” 

“And this one?” Victor motioned to a pink stone necklace. 

Yuuri blushed, “It’s to, ah, increase one’s attractiveness to a certain person. You would have to infuse it with something. One of their hairs or blood or something of the sort.” 

“Blood?” 

“The lengths people are willing to go for love can be alarming. Like pestering someone they barely know for days on end.” 

Victor shrugged, “It worked, didn’t it?” 

Yuuri rolled his eyes but began to walk down the street. 

“So you know how to make charms like that?” Victor questioned

“Yes, but most of those charms are only common and well-known designs. The best charms are ones made for your specific purpose. It takes time to learn how to do those, of course.” 

“You never fail to surprise me.” 

They approached a large crowd around the corner. A fire dancer stood in the middle of the street, casting flame spells that danced along her arms and ascended into the dark night sky. The audience stood entranced by her work as a band played with intricate music magic on the side. The music and the dance together created a feeling of wonder among the watchers and filled Victor’s heart with amazement. Unfortunately, the song ended soon and the audience showered the performers in gold coins. Yuuri touched Victor’s arm, getting his attention. 

“Please watch me.” 

Yuuri walked towards the performers and talked to them. After a while, they nodded and the dancer took a spot among the band. Victor was confused until Yuuri strode towards the center, shedding his cloak in the process. He stood only in his pants, shoes, and leather arm bracers before the crowd. Victor’s face dropped. What was he doing?

Soon, the band started up with an upbeat song and fire formed around Yuuri’s hands. 

Oh. 

Yuuri spun for a moment before locking eyes with Victor. Then the music sped up, quickly followed by his movements. Flames danced up his arms as he beautifully leaped towards the sky. The audience was entranced. The music was fast and exotic and clearly wanted to get a feeling of want and passion out of the audience. It was working. Excitement filled Victor as he watched his mate throw fire into the air with each leap, turn, and movement. Every single one was beautiful and intricate as if he had been practicing the routine his entire life. A feeling of longing rose in Victor’s chest. It was one he was familiar with around his dear Yuuri, but never had he felt it so intense. The music magic flooded his senses and all he could do was watch on, never once looking away. Yuuri’s bare torso looked tantalizing under the glowing light of the flames and night sky.

All too soon, the music came to an end everything went silent. After a few moments, the watchers clapped their hands eagerly and began to offer Yuuri money. He politely turned them down, but Victor was growing frustrated at the swarms of people surrounding him. He (rather rudely) pushed through the throng of people and placed his hand on Yuuri’s shoulder to get his attention. The powerful alpha turned to him and seemed relieved to see his mate. 

“Let’s go,” Victor suggested before Yuuri nodded and followed suit. The crowd seemed to lighten and Victor lead Yuuri down a vacant alley. 

“Victor-” 

Yuuri was interrupted by his mate turning around quickly and pulling him into an embrace. He spoke slowly, still trying to digest was he saw with the music magic still lingering in his chest. 

“Yuuri…” Victor whispered, pulling away to look at his face, “May I kiss you?” 

Yuuri blushed, tears seeming to well up in his eyes. 

Victor blinked, “Is something wrong?”

“No! No,” Yuuri wiped a tear away, “I would be honored.” 

Victor wasted no time in meeting his lips with Yuuri’s. He grabbed Yuuri’s still bare hips and pulled him as close as possible, the heat from the fire magic still warming his skin. Yuuri melted into his embrace and they kissed until neither could breathe any longer. Victor ran his hands up and down his mate’s torso once they pulled apart, heads still intimately close to one another. 

“That was beautiful, Yuuri.” He looked him up and down, “You’re beautiful.”

A new look arose on Yuuri’s face and he got as close as possible to Victor, leaning his head down to his neck. He kissed his way down to the neckline of Victor’s shirt, slowly unbuttoning the buttons until he got to the bottom. He looked up at Victor, who sucked in a deep breath. Yuuri reached his hands around Victor’s torso and moved him in closer. 

“Just like I imagined,” he whispered into Victor’s ear. 

Victor blushed, trying hard not to think about Yuuri “imagining” him in such a state. That thought went away when Yuuri pulled away all too soon and began to wrap his cloak around him once again. He tightened his arm bracers and looked expectantly at Victor. 

“Aren’t you going to change? There’s still plenty to see.” 

Victor snapped back to reality, “Oh, of course.” He buttoned up his shirt and adjusted it to be as straight as possible. 

“What now?” Yuuri asked him. 

“I know the perfect thing.” 

 

_____________________

 

“For the future king of a country, your choices are questionable.” 

Victor laughed, “You’ll love it. I promise.” 

Victor lead Yuuri up a winding staircase along the side of the city’s protective outer walls. Though the wall's interior was off-limits to the citizens, Victor had magical access. Yuuri seemed doubtful about what they were doing, but followed Victor up anyway. The staircase was a long and tedious climb, so Victor hoped that Yuuri would love it as much as he did. After the long trek, they finally reached the top of the wall. Victor offered his hand for Yuuri to take and helped him make the final step. Once he peered over the side of the wall, he gasped. 

“Wow.” 

“Do you like it?” 

“I can’t believe it. It seems like you can see all of Grande from up here.” 

Victor joined him and looked over the edge. The faint light from smaller cities glowed in the distance among the hills and Grande’s famous mountain range could be seen on the horizon. 

“It makes you feel so small, doesn’t it? This huge land is home to so many different kinds of people, not just me.” Victor turned to Yuuri, “I’ll never be able to thank you enough for showing me that.” 

Yuuri turned to Victor with a solemn smile on his face.

“You’re amazing.” 

Victor and Yuuri hung their legs off the ledge of the wall, staring off into the night with one another. The stars shone brightly and the moon illuminated the world with a silver glow. For once, everything seemed right and at peace. Yuuri leaned his head on Victor’s shoulder, spreading a warmth in the cool evening. Victor took in a deep breath. Everything was perfect. He thought of a future with Yuuri. As two alphas, they couldn’t have children, but they could certainly adopt or use a surrogate. He imagined a small child running around the castle, Yuuri hot on his heels with a stern but playful look on his face. Yuuri would be an amazing king. He was so kind and insightful, and he would always do what was best for his people. The mage-knights would have a great magic-wielder to help lead them in Yuuri, and a great swordsman in Victor. Everything was falling into place. His father could finally leave his position knowing that it was in good hands. Yuuri brought out the best in Victor, and no one could argue with that. Victor supposed that they would have to find someone to run Yutopia, but Yuuri seemed to have confidence in his apprentice Phichit. 

The two continued to look on in silence, but Yuuri suddenly broke the silence. 

“Victor… I have something to tell you,” he stuttered, “I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid that you would hate me.” 

Victor was confused. What could have made his Yuuri so nervous?

“Yuuri, I will always love you. Please, you can tell me.” 

“Well, I don’t quite know where to start.” He took a deep breath, “I suppose I should just say it, then. I… I’m an-” 

Yuuri was interrupted by an explosion in the not-so-far distance. The trees of the forest shown with fire, which illuminated incoming troops. Fierce warriors marched towards the capital with clear malice in their intentions. 

“What-what is that?” 

“Bandits. And... trolls? Golems? I thought they only lived in the mountains!” 

Another explosion sounded. It was even closer. 

“We have to warn the mage-knights!” 

Yuuri nodded in agreement. He grabbed Victor’s hand. 

“Do you trust me?” 

Not having time to think, Victor tightened his grip on Yuuri and smiled. 

Yuuri pulled him and jumped over the side of the wall to the city below. As they fell down the tall structure, Victor never once wondered if this would be the end of him. He trusted Yuuri with his life, and would never once look back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the amount of support you give! It always makes my day! ^_^ As usual, please point out any mistakes you see! In reference to the long wait, I had a job over the summer that prevented me from updating. That's over now, so updates should be more frequent. Don't forget to check out the new one-shot "Rebuild!" 
> 
> Also, enh, I've never really written anything that ~sexy~ before, even if it didn't get too intimate, so I'm sorry if it was awkward! Haha, I hope you liked it anyway!
> 
> Someone requested that I put in a character description for Eden and Alcandor, so don't read forward if you don't want your own image of the two to be ruined! We good? Ight, here it is:
> 
> Alcandor is an older-looking man with obvious strain from battle and leadership. His once brown hair has turned various shades of gray and is a bit overgrown in length. Stubble is often seen growing on his chin, no mind his husband's protests. Despite his aged looks, he isn't very old. His forty-eight-year-old body still looks as if he could take someone on in a fight. His broad shoulders and toned arms show that he isn't one to be trifled with. He has a scary resting face that is only softened by his occasional smile and bright blue eyes. 
> 
> Eden, despite being ten years older than his husband, still looks fairly young. Some people say it's a perk of being a male omega, but the people closest to him know it's his easy-going and low-stress demeanor. That's not to say he hasn't seen the result of aging. His once very slender body has grown out and his once very tall stance has begun to slump over. That doesn't stop the light from shining in his gray eyes. His long white hair is often times pulled into various braids and he is said to grab the attention of everyone in the room. 
> 
> If you want an idea of what I think Yuuri/Victor dress like in this world, look up Hak from Yona of the Dawn for Yuuri (great anime by the way 10/10 would recommend) and Zen from Snow White with the Red Hair for Victor. Ironically, they also both share hair colors.


	11. The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy, sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than others. I couldn't quite fill it without dragging it on, so it's fairly small. I promise that it's still drama filled and the upcoming chapters will definitely make up for it ; ) Enjoy!

As they were falling, time seemed to stand still. Yuuri focused, trying to time it exactly right. Victor’s grip tightened, but Yuuri never sensed a bit of doubt. Before they could hit the ground, Yuuri called upon the winds to lift them up. The coolness from the air felt good on Yuuri’s previously fire-warmed body, and they touched the ground softly soon after. 

Victor turned to his mate, “You’re amazing.” 

They ran hand-in-hand to the castle through the silent streets of the capital. The only thing that could be heard was their panting and footsteps. As they neared the castle, a great ruckus of voices greeted them, with Alcandor standing in front of it. He was whispering to Eden, who nodded slowly and walked away. 

“Father!” Victor yelled once they reached the front of the castle.

“Victor, it’s a relief to see you,” Alcandor sighed upon seeing his son, “I need you to lead your regiment into battle.” 

Victor nodded, “Of course, father. We’re prepared.” 

Alcandor turned to address the crowd, “Alright! Our scouts have reported legions of bandits in collaboration with golems and trolls approaching our city. Protection spells will be put in place over the city the minute we depart, but our goal is to never let them get the chance to test them. Am I understood?” 

“Yes, sir!” 

“Good.” Alcandor mounted his horse, looking just as frightening as he looked that day he found Yuuri all those years ago. Victor took his own horse from the stable hand and mounted. Mage-knights rushed around to gather their equipment in a loud chaos. Victor looked to Yuuri. 

“Yuuri you should stay-” 

“I’m going too.” 

“No.” Alcandor’s stern voice snapped the young couple to attention.

“I can not let you fight. You are not a mage-knight. We know nothing about you. For all we know, you could have led them here.” 

Yuuri was aghast. His face turned stern as he looked the king directly in the eye, staring once again at the man who he feared all his life. 

“With all due respect, I’m going. I’m not going to watch on as the city and its citizens get attacked.”

“And why should you care about our city?” 

“Because I know what it is like to face loss. I don’t want your citizens to feel the same.” 

“You think that we cannot win without your help?” 

“No, but I can try. And if that’s all I can do, then it’s what I will do.” 

Yuuri met eyes with Victor, who seemed stunned yet proud. He held out a hand for Yuuri to take, and helped him onto the back of his horse. Yuuri held quickly to Victor, heart pounding after directly disobeying the alpha king’s orders. The mage-knights stood in silence, waiting to see Alcandor’s reaction. The old king turned his horse to the exit, took in a deep breath, and screamed. 

“CHARGE!” 

The silence was soon filled with yells and gallops of the army. 

The horse carrying Victor and Yuuri sprung to attention and began to lead the legions of mage-knights to the front lines. They ran through the town, and quiet townspeople peaked out their windows to watch them leave. They all looked scared. The once bright magic lights of the city now glowed solemnly, and an air of uncertainty flooded the area. Yuuri took in the sound of hundreds of feet stomping against the cobblestone, amazed at the bravery that all these fighters had. 

He hoped to have that himself one day.

They ran out of the city to see the surrounding forests on fire from the explosions. Alcandor used a projection spell to reach the ears of all the fighters. 

“They are on the other side of the woods. We cannot let them pass through.” 

They charged through the forest, avoiding flaming debris that fell from the tops of the trees. Yuuri decided that they must have thrown a large fire spell to make such an impact. The end of the forest approached, and Yuuri braced himself for what was on the other side. Once they emerged into a large field, they got a close up look of their foe. Bandits wielding daggers and golems and trolls with wicked sneers on their faces. Yuuri had no idea how they all came together, but he knew it was time to fight. 

The mage knights rushed forth and began their battle. The bandits on their own were not much of a problem, but the sheer number of them alongside the creatures could overwhelm ever the best of the magic-wielders. As a dagger flew towards him, Yuuri leaned back and flipped off the horse. He called upon his light sword and shield and charged into battle. Time seemed to stand still as Yuuri defeated bandit after bandit, scoffing at their untrained form. He eventually found himself surrounded by five of them. 

“Give it up!” One shouted. 

Yuuri called upon the ground beneath their feet and shot them with chunks of land. He didn’t have much time to think about his victory before a giant rolling object knocked him over. Wiping the blood from his nose, Yuuri looked up. A grisly troll looked back at him, showing off his worn yellow teeth. It curled up once again and began to roll towards Yuuri at an alarming pace, forcing him to jump out of reach just in time. 

Yuuri had never fought a troll before, but, if his countless books had told him anything, it was that they hated water. He called for water, channeling the deepest amount of relaxation he could at such a time. 

_Breathe. Flow with the current, not against it._

Water formed at his fingertips and, just as it began to charge towards him, the troll was hit in the face with a current so strong it was knocked over. It was weakened, now was Yuuri’s chance. 

The troll struggled to get up, giving Yuuri time to call upon his light sword and strike it. He panted, exhausted from the battle. He heard hooves coming towards him and turned to see Victor, who now had a scar on his cheek. 

“Yuuri, are you alright?” 

Yuuri put a smile on his face, “I’m great. What about you?” 

“I’m fine. We are losing men, but not as fast as they are. Keep up the good work.”

As Victor rode away, Yuuri decided he had to pick up the pace. He put as much force as he could into his water spells, taking out trolls in single hits. It was draining, but Yuuri couldn’t bear to see his new friends fall. The mage-knights around him worked just as hard, wanting to defend their homes. 

 

After defeating a particularly strong golem, Yuuri saw someone crouching out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see Yurio, leaned over what looked like an unconscious Otabek. Yuuri ran towards them. 

“Yurio! Yurio! I can help! Just let me-” He stopped short when he noticed Yurio already casting healing spells. The young alpha snapped at him. 

“What are you doing!? Don’t worry about us, go win! Pig.” 

Yuuri was in awe. Not many mage-knights knew anything beyond fighting magic. There was something special about this one, though he wasn’t sure what. Nodding, Yuuri turned his attention back to the fight. He noticed Christophe fighting a golem with his admittedly strong fire spells. 

_He must be very passionate_ Yuuri decided.

In a split-second decision, Yuuri teleported onto the golem’s back. He summoned his sword and engulfed it in flames before plunging it into the golem. As it fell, he teleported to the ground next to Chris. 

“Impressive,” The mage-knight commented.

Yuuri smiled, “You too. That fire is incredible.” 

Chris winked, “You could say I’m a very passionate lover, eh?” 

Yuuri brushed it off, having grown used to Chris’ antics by now. He looked beyond him. 

“You might want to watch your back,” Yuuri smirked before teleporting away. 

From afar, he saw Chris turn to see an incoming bandit, and defeating him with ease.

Yuuri chuckled and went back to his own fight. 

At this point, Yuuri was exhausted. His limbs felt like lead, and all the magic seemed to be drained out of his body. Despite everything, he fought on. The enemy troops were thinning, Yurio was back in the fight, and both of the mage-knight leaders had nothing but simple scratches. They were doing great. 

Yuuri kept fighting, and he soon realized that he could no longer defeat the giant golems on his own. He kept near larger groups of mage-knights to use their support, and they appreciated his help in return. Knowing he couldn’t keep fighting for long, he moved over towards the forest line, casting an energy-building healing spell. It would make him feel even more horrible when it was all done, but Yuuri didn’t have time to think about that. He needed to fight. 

The spell took several moments, but Yuuri soon felt himself stand a little taller and breath a little slower. It would have to do. The overwhelming urge to fall was pushed aside and Yuuri turned to watch the fight. He saw Victor, now on the ground and fighting with his signature ice magic, standing alongside his men. They seemed to be struggling, so Yuuri rushed over to them. He never wanted to take his eyes off of Victor’s determined gaze and sweat-coated body.

When he made it to the group he promptly slew a troll and moved on to fight side-by-side with Victor. Together, they took down a golem. Standing over the beast, Victor turned to face Yuuri. He laughed.

“I had that, you know.” 

Yuuri grabbed his mate’s hand, “As long as I’m alive, I’ll always be here to protect you.” 

“And I’ll always protect you.” 

Yuuri was so lost in Victor’s smile that he didn’t notice a troll rolling towards him, knocking him to the ground a short distance away. Victor took care of it, and Yuuri held his spinning head as he looked up to his mate. In that moment, as Victor was preoccupied with the troll, a golem came up behind him. Yuuri tried to shout, he tried to cast his magic, but it was no use. He was too drained. He needed to help Victor. Suddenly, the words he lived by all of his life flashed through his head. 

_You are who you choose to be._

Yuuri knew right then who he chose to be. He was Victor Nikiforov’s mate, he was a magic-wielder, and he was an omega. He was beautiful and strong and passionate enough to know what he had to do next. Pushing himself out of the dirt, Yuuri stood on his wobbly legs and then ran. He ran until he was standing directly between the unnoticing Victor and his attacker. He called for a light shield, and the golem took a giant swing. 

After that, the world was filled with nothing but darkness. 

Yuuri couldn’t move. He couldn’t feel anything. The only thing he knew was that he made the right choice for the love of his life, and he was will to face whatever consequences that it may bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all you're support! It means so much to me! I will never get over how much love this has gotten. I could never have imagined that so many people would like it and still have trouble processing it. Thanks again!
> 
> Some of y'all seem pretty awesome, and I'd love to talk to you some more! Feel free to contact me on my Tumblr account for my writing [DancingAnya](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/dancinganya) or my personal [Anyaisdancingagain](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/anyaisdancingagain). Don't take it too personally if I don't reply right away. I'm VERY scatter-brained!
> 
> On another note, it's my birthday! Can anyone guess how old I'm turning? ;) You'll get a shout-out in the next chapter! Good luck :)


	12. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor tries to save Yuuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter goes out to Archive user Melody0136 who was the first (and only) to guess my age! It's 17! Thanks for playing and supporting this series! 
> 
> Also, can we talk about how fast I got this chapter out? Consider it my treat for the other long waits! ;)

Victor picked up his unconscious mate and placed him on the back of his horse. 

“Victor, what are you doing!?” Alcandor yelled to him through the battle cries. 

“I have to get Yuuri back to the castle!” 

“No! Come back here! We’re not done!” 

Victor ignored his father’s order and began to race back to castle with Yuuri in tow. There were very few enemies left, and Victor knew they could handle it. Alcandor had to know too, he was one of the best strategists in the world. 

Victor wasn’t sure how much time passed before he found himself at the castle. He was too busy focusing on his unconscious mate. Picking him up, Victor hurriedly carried Yuuri in. The hallways looked longer than ever, and the infirmary seemed years away. Thankfully, he burst through the doors, startling the healers working there. 

“Please, please help my Yuuri,” Victor cried to them. 

“Quick! Get an examination.” 

The healers quickly moved Yuuri to the table and began casting spells. One studied them ferociously as if they were reading what the spell was saying. She piped up.

“He’s bleeding internally. We need to act fast.” 

They quickly removed Yuuri’s cloak to reveal a large red spot on his stomach at resembled a bruise. Upon listening to the healers talk, Victor learned it was blood. The healers worked quickly and intensely, shouting things that Victor could never imagine knowing how to interpret. 

_I bet Yuuri would know what they are saying._

Victor was never one to think about everything that could go wrong, but now his mind was racing with possibilities. 

 

The thought made Victor visibly shake. Yuuri couldn’t die, Victor wouldn’t be able to stand it. 

As the healers worked, mage-knights from the battle were let into the infirmary to be healed by the others. The stream of them began to speed up, and Victor decided that the battle must be over. Person after person came in and, suddenly, a familiar face came by on a stretcher. 

“Otabek?” 

His injured friend lifted his head and gave a weak wave and smile. Victor could only stare as he was walked away. None of his main soldiers had ever had to go to the infirmary directly after a battle before. This was worrying. 

Lost in his thoughts, Victor didn’t notice the incoming figure until their hand touched his shoulder. 

“Victor,” King Eden said with a sympathetic face, “What happened?” 

For the first time since the battle, Victor began to choke up. He sniffled once. Twice. And then he buried his head in his father’s cloak, sobbing uncontrollably. 

“He… he threw himself in front of me and… and he won’t wake up! He won’t wake up and he fought so hard he might.... he might die!” 

Eden clung onto his son tightly, spreading his warmth to the crying prince. 

“Love, I’m so sorry.” 

Victor cried out again, unable to contain his tears. Behind him, the healers worked harder and harder, and their panic seemed to increase. 

“Victor!” A gruff voice interrupted, “You abandoned the fight!” 

Alcandor stood at the entry with anger in his face. Prying himself away from Eden, Victor tried to contain his sobs. 

“Father I can’t… I’m sorry. Yuuri is dying!” 

“I don’t care! You’re a leader-” 

“Alcandor, Love, please give him a break.” 

“No! What if you were the only one leading that battle?” 

“The fight was almost over!” 

“Victor, you’re not understanding-” 

“He’s dying!” 

The family turned to the rushing healers, who were in a frantic mess. They cast spells as quickly as they could, but Yuuri's scent was starting to fade.

"No," Victor whispered.

All of a sudden, Yuuri’s scent completely disappeared. He died. 

“NO!” Victor yelled. 

A healer cast a spell, unlike the others Victor had seen, with two others feeding him energy. It was bright and sudden, but, when it was gone, Yuuri’s scent refilled the room. The healer collapsed with exhaustion. 

Victor sighed in relief, “Oh, thank God-” 

Something was different. Yuuri’s scent was different. It wasn’t the scent of the strong alpha he knew, it was the smell of an omega. A male omega. And it was intense. 

Eden gasped and Alcandor stood in stunned silence. 

“It couldn’t be-” 

“Yuuri… he’s an omega?” Victor said cautiously. 

“Oh dear…” 

“Guards!” 

_______________

 

Victor paced in the drawing room. They forced him to leave the infirmary and he was infuriated. How could they keep him from his mate like that?! He paced some more, unsure of what thought he should focus on. 

_Yuuri is an omega. No, Yuuri is the omega. The same one who ran away from me before._

It all began to make sense. Yuuri’s reluctance, his hatred for royals, his unease at the castle… but why would Yuuri break the law like that? That law was there for a reason… right? 

The door opened, revealing his father and some guards. 

“Where is he!?” Victor yelled.

“He’s fine. Sleeping. The second he wakes up he’s going to the dungeon.” 

“You can’t do that!” 

“Yes, I can. He broke our laws by learning magic like that.” 

“But… but he’s my mate!” 

“Have you mated yet?” 

“No.” 

“Then he’s not your mate. You’ll move past it.” 

“Father! I love him!” 

“He ran away from you! He didn’t want to be with you!” 

“He does now!” 

“And what if he just wanted your status!” 

“He doesn’t! He liked me before he knew who I was! He actually liked me less when he found out!” 

Alcandor sighed, “Look, Victor, you are a prince. He broke the law. Trust me, I would love for you to have a male omega as a mate, but how could a prince be seen with a criminal?” 

“Why do we even have that law? It’s absurd!”

“Victor, we have our laws for good reasons. If omegas were to learn combat magic and participate in battle, they’d be captured easily by the enemy. And just imagine if their mates saw them get hurt! They’d stop mid-battle and-” Alcandor slowly turned to face Victor, “Did you know?” 

“Know what?” 

“Don’t act dumb! Did you know he’s an omega?” 

“No! Of course not!” 

“Then why did you stop in the middle of the battle?” 

“Because I love him! Wouldn’t you do that for me?” 

Alcandor looked as if he was going to retort, but stopped suddenly. He took in a deep sigh with a somber look, “Victor, I don’t want to argue with you, alright? He’s a criminal, and we can’t just go changing the law for him. I would love for you to have someone who you are happy with, but we have a duty to this kingdom that needs to be fulfilled.” Victor didn’t respond, only staring at the ground in agony. “I’m going to tell you a story,” Alcandor decided, “As you know, I was engaged to your father before I was even born. We couldn’t marry until my eighteenth birthday. To be honest, I didn’t know much about him before then. I was a lot like you actually, angry at my parents for controlling my life. I didn’t want to be a prince, and I really didn’t want to be a king.” 

“Really?” Victor whispered.

“Yes. When I was seventeen I had grown into the habit of sneaking out of the castle. I’d go out and have fun in the town. Your father knew, but he didn’t try to stop me. We weren’t married yet anyway and I think he felt bad for me. But, while I was out, I met this man named Quince. He was a beta, and he was beautiful. He taught me things I never knew and showed me love that I had never gotten to experience before. I loved him, I really did. But the time came for my eighteenth birthday and I had to make a choice: abandon my kingdom or do what was right. And you know what I chose?” 

“You did what was right…” 

“No, actually.” 

“What?” 

“I ran away with Quince. We had barely even made it to the next town when the mage-knights found him and killed him on sight, thinking he had captured me. That’s the story your father and everyone else knows, and now you’re the only other one who knows the truth.” 

Victor couldn’t believe it, “What are you trying to tell me?” 

“Victor, I want you to know that I understand, I really do. But doing the right thing isn’t just for the sake of others, it’s also for your own sake. With time, you will grow past this. I did, and now I have a great life with a mate who I love and an amazing son. I’ll leave you to think, but please keep this in mind.” 

Alcandor walked out of the room, leaving Victor in an eerie silence. Would he ever get over Yuuri like his father once did? Victor brooded on the topic for a few minutes before standing up abruptly. 

“No! I need to save Yuuri. I am not my father.” 

“No… you aren’t.” 

Victor turned towards the new voice and a figure stepped out of the shadows. 

“Father.” 

King Eden smiled solemnly, “Victor.” 

“Why can’t I smell you?”

Eden cast a spell and suddenly his scent filled the room again. Victor was aghast. He didn’t know his father could do that. 

“It’s a safety precaution they taught me in my training. It’s the same spell your Yuuri used to appear as an alpha.” Eden walked towards Victor and took a seat. “You know, life as an omega boy is scary. You never know when someone is going to try to take you or use you. No one is trustworthy. For Yuuri, having lived on his own for so long, I can’t even imagine what it must have been like. Your mate is strong for making it through all of that, but also very broken. You will have to remember that in the future.” 

“The future? What do you mean?” 

Eden stood and walked towards his son, “I love you Victor, so I can’t bear to see you like this. I’m going to help you. You must realize, however, that it will be at a large cost.” 

“What is it? I’m willing to do anything.” 

“... I know. First, let me tell you something. You are an amazing young man, and I’m so happy I get to call you my son. And I would love to call Yuuri my son too, under better circumstances. I love you.” 

“Thank you father, I love you too. You’re so much stronger than you get credit for, but what does this have to do with-” 

“Follow me.” 

____________

 

“Where are we going?” Victor asked his father as he led him through the blue rose garden. 

“Shhh!” 

The walked and walked until they were near the end of the large garden, facing a wall of beautiful blue roses. King Eden began tearing away at the vines as if trying to get to the wall below. Victor helped him, pricking his hand on the rose thorns every now and then. Eventually, the once beautiful wall was just old crumbling stones. Eden reached to the wall and removed one of the stones. Confused, Victor watched closely as his father proceeded to push the wall in and pull it to the side using the new opening for a grip. It revealed a long, dark hallway that looked as if it hadn’t been used in decades. Eden turned to Victor. 

“This tunnel will lead you directly to the dungeon. That’s where you’ll find Yuuri. Make sure you watch out for the mage-knight guards, they’ll be checking on him often.” 

“What are you saying?” 

“I’m saying that you need to get Yuuri and run. Run as far as you can and recover. Make a new life where you can be together and fulfill your true purpose. Don’t look back. Don’t worry about us. Just go.” 

Tears welled up in Victor’s eyes, “Father…” 

“Don’t say anything. Just go.” 

They came together in a hug, both quietly sobbing.

“It’s for the best,” Eden whispered to his son.

Victor nodded while pulling away, trying to wipe the tears from his eyes. 

“Go be yourself. Go be with your mate.” 

Victor turned to the entrance of the tunnel and his father disappeared from his sight back into the garden, leaving Victor with only the silence of the night. He took a deep breath and took off running. He couldn’t see where he was going, but he didn’t care. All he needed was Yuuri. It didn’t matter what it took, he needed to be with his mate. A light showed at the end of the tunnel, and Victor sped up. Coming up to a wall where light was seeping through, Victor did as his father did and removed the loose brick. Pulling the wall to the side revealed another way for him to go. He soon found himself in a dark, disgusting, and damp hallway with bars lining large portions of the walls. The dungeon. 

Victor had no idea where they were keeping Yuuri, but he had to find him fast. It wasn’t too hard, Yuuri’s omega scent filled Victor’s nose the second he stepped into the dungeon. He followed it down a hallway and began to take a sharp left when he heard voices. A pillar served as protection from the eyes of the mage-knights that passed by soon after, not noticing Victor. He breathed a sigh of relief. It was a true blessing that most of the inmates were sleeping, because he was sure they’d give him away. 

Taking his turn, Victor ran down the hallway where Yuuri’s scent began to grow stronger. He checked every cell he could. No… No… No… And then it happened.

“Yuuri?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks as always for the amazing support that you give every time I post! It really warms my heart ^_^ Also, I realized that the abbreviated version of the title is TITT, soooo it's just gonna be TTT lol. I have a new challenge for you all this time! 
> 
> Whoever can tell me about the easter egg I hid in the story will get a shout-out in the next chapter! Here are your clues: Genesis & meaning. 
> 
> Tumblr accounts: Writer - [DancingAnya](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/dancinganya) Personal - [Anyaisdancingagain](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/anyaisdancingagain)
> 
> Please feel free to talk to me on Tumblr! I'd love to get to know you or answer some questions! Honestly, it's no bother and I'd love to hear from you ^_^ I'm just as big of a fangirl(boy, person) as the rest of you lol!


	13. Running on Empty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri is alone... and he's scared, but Victor is safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EY VERY VERY IMPORTANT THINGIE AT THE END! 
> 
> Also huge shout out to imapirahana98 on Archive and BunnyHearts for combining their ideas and correctly guessing the easter egg in the last chapter! Go read their comments if you're interested! And a special shout out to Celdria on Archive who guessed a different easter egg in the same chapter! Way to go! You've all got a great eye for detail ^_^

Yuuri was in pain. Lots of pain. His abdomen ached worse than it had ever before, feeling like it was being teared apart from the inside out. He was being dragged by two guards. Delusional, Yuuri couldn’t make out where he was or what was happening. All he knew was that he was exhausted and his scent spell was inactive. He was exposed.

_Victor. Victor knows that I lied._

Yuuri tried to struggle, but the guards gripped to him tighter.

“Don’t even try.” 

They dragged him up against a wall and put magical shackles on his arms. He was defenseless. For the first time, Yuuri got a look at his environment. It was a dungeon cell. The darkness was only fought with torches on the walls as Yuuri sat on a cold stone floor. The guards laughed. One reached his hand out and caressed Yuuri’s cheek.

“A male omega. Never thought I’d see one of these.” 

“You’d be fun…” The other guard moved closer.

“Don’t do anything, idiot, we have to report back to the king. We’ll come back after that.” 

The guard huffed, “Alright.” 

The two left Yuuri in his cell, giving him a disgusting wink on their way out. He shuddered. There had to be some way out. For the first time in awhile, Yuuri was scared. He was scared of the people around him and what would happen. His magic was restrained by the shackles, and his scent seemed stronger than ever. Inmates reached through the bars around Yuuri trying to touch him. It couldn’t be too long before someone, inmate or guard, got to him and had their way. 

Yuuri hung his head. How could he let this happen? If he hadn’t fallen in love with Victor…

 _Victor would be dead._

Resigning himself to his situation, Yuuri went limp. He did what he had to do, and he didn’t regret it. 

_At least Victor is safe. He probably hates me now, but he was going to anyway when he found out. It’s better this way. He can forget about me._

Yuuri stayed still for what felt like forever, feeling nothing but his pain. Despite being extremely tired, Yuuri couldn’t relax enough to go to sleep. Not here. Not with all of them around him. 

The sound of footsteps running towards him pulled Yuuri from his half-asleep delusions.

 _What if it’s the guards coming back for me?_ Yuuri wondered. He tried to position himself as far away from the door as possible, but that would only save him mere seconds. A figure appeared in the doorway.

“Yuuri?” it asked.

“Please… please don’t hurt me,” Yuuri stuttered out to the figure.

“What? No, Yuuri, it’s me,” the figure stepped towards him, revealing... Victor. Yuuri had never felt so much joy and dread at the same time upon seeing someone else before. He cried out.

“Victor! Victor, I’m so sorry!” 

“No! I’m the one who is sorry. You poor thing. Why would you jump in front of me like that?” 

“... I love you.” 

“Right, but that’s so reckless! You… you almost died! You did die for a moment!”

“It was worth it.” 

“Yuuri…”

“Thanks for visiting me, but you should be getting back.”

“What?” 

“To the castle. Leave me, go live the life you’re supposed to live.” 

“What if the life I’m supposed to live is with you?”

“With a lying, law-breaking omega like me? Sounds like an awful life.” 

Victor smiled, “It sounds amazing to me.” 

Yuuri glanced away, blushing. 

“We have to get you out of these,” Victor thought aloud as he started to pry away at them. Soon, they laid on the floor and Victor was supporting Yuuri. He leaned on Victor for dear life, each step hurting. He wished so desperately that he could cast a healing spell, but he couldn’t get himself to cast any spell at that point. They moved as quickly as they could down the long hallways, trying their best to avoid places where guards would be. 

“Hey! Stop there!” A familiar voice yelled. It was the guards. 

Yuuri panicked. They saw them trying to escape. 

Victor, acting quickly, shot his ice magic towards the duo and froze them in place. He pulled Yuuri through the tunnel as quickly as possible. 

“Victor, that… that won’t hold them for long.” 

“I know, we need to hurry.” They found their way back into the blue rose garden quickly and Victor looked around frantically for guards. He helped Yuuri stand on his own feet. 

“We need to get a few things. Wait here.” 

“No, we can just get them in the next town over. Don’t worry about it.” 

Victor shook his head, “That’s not what I am worried about. My familiar Makkachin is still at the palace. I need to get him.” 

Yuuri knew what he meant. If he had to leave Vicchan behind he would be heartbroken.

“Alright. Don’t take too long.”

“I won’t.” 

Victor took off down a path, determined to get his familiar. Yuuri wondered what type of familiar he had, and thought maybe it was a cat. They were common among royals. 

As he waited, Yuuri tried his best to cast some healing spells on his wounds. Try as he might, his magic was too weak from tiredness. It couldn’t get much better. 

In the dead silence of the night something sounded. The softest footsteps Yuuri had ever heard were creeping towards him. He struggled to his feet and called out. 

“Who’s there?” 

They stopped.

“Who’s there. Show yourself. You’ll regret not listening.” 

“You’re not in much of a position to be making threats, Yuuri.” 

General Minako came out from around a large rose bush. Her face was neutral, and Yuuri couldn’t tell if his old teacher meant him good or harm. 

“Why are you here?” 

“Because you can’t leave looking like that. Let me heal you.” 

Yuuri was hesitant. As much as he respected General Minako, she was also a follower of the king. But, he supposed, if she helped him escape once, she would do it again. He gestured her over, and she got right to work on his injured body. Immediately, Yuuri began to feel better. 

“Thank you.” 

“No need to thank me, Yuuri. You’ve brought forth something that I never thought I’d see: Victor’s happiness. And for that, I’ll never be able to thank you enough. Maybe, just maybe, in their son’s absence the kings will decide to overturn the omega rule.” 

“I never thought about that.” 

“Victor is an amazing fighter and diplomat, but you’ll need to show him how to survive in the real world. Show him the corruption, the community. Show him everything he needs to become the person we both know he can be. Can you promise me that?” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

She smiled, “Good. He’ll be a great father someday.” 

Yuuri blushed, thinking about getting pregnant with Victor, “Yes, he will.”

“You will be too. Your family is strong and beautiful. Remember that. Sometimes your family is all you have.” 

“You mean our family _will_ be strong and beautiful.” 

She shook her head, “No, it is strong and beautiful. You can find family in the strangest and smallest of places. You may not be mated yet, but you’re family. Don’t forget that, and don’t let it go.”

Yuuri thought back to his own family and what they would think of him now. His mother would be horrified by all he’s gone through, but happy that Yuuri found love. His father would laugh and think that only Yuuri could get himself into so much trouble. His sister… she would be proud. She would love how strong he had grown to be and how his life was know his own. 

_Thank you, Mari_ Yuuri thought as Minako finished up with her spells. 

“I don’t know enough to completely heal you, but this should make it easier. You’ll heal fine on your own after this.” 

Footsteps bounded towards them, and Yuuri knew immediately that it was Victor and his familiar. Minako smiled at Yuuri. 

“Good luck.” 

She walked away as quietly as she came, leaving no sign of her presence behind besides the lessening of Yuuri’s pain. Victor soon turned the corner, followed by a large fluffy dog that looked extremely similar to Vicchan. 

“You look better,” Victor commented. 

“Healing spells.” 

Victor resigned to that answer and turned to Makkachin who wagged her tail excitedly. 

“Ready?” 

She yipped a few times before beginning to glow. Victor lent some of his own power and she began to grow. She grew and changed and shifted into… a horse. Yuuri looked on in disbelief. 

“How… how did you-” 

“Makkachin and I’s kinship is strong. She’s amazing.” 

The horse barked in response, which Yuuri thought was weird. 

“Come on, we need to leave. Those guards are definitely out of the ice by now.” 

Victor helped Yuuri get onto Makkachin’s back after mounting himself. With a simple command, she was off. Yuuri held tight to Victor, listening to the sound of his quickly beating heart as they made their way around the front of the castle and out the front gate. The streets were filled with citizens celebrating the victory over the bandits even though the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon. People seemed happy and at peace. Yuuri sighed. The last time he felt completely at peace was too long ago. The couple soon saw the city gates in the distance. They were closing. 

“Hurry, Makka!” Victor commanded his familiar and she began to speed up. The guards must have been commanded to close them, knowing that Yuuri and Victor were escaping. The closer they got, the less likely it looked that they would get there in time. Yuuri looked up at Victor. There was no way he could teleport while he was lending his magic to Makkachin. He closed his eyes and focused. Out of sheer willpower, Yuuri brought forth some magic. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. He moved his hands, and they soon found themselves right in front of and through the gate. It slammed behind them. 

“Yuuri! Good job!” 

Yuuri laid his head back against Victor’s back, too tired to move.

“Sleep, Yuuri. You put in more effort than I’ve ever seen anyone do in that battle. I don’t even know how you stayed fighting that long.” 

His words fell on near-deaf ears, but Yuuri couldn’t help but smile as he waved in and out of consciousness. The steady beat of Makkachin’s hooves giving a soothing rhythm. 

He had almost fallen completely asleep when Makkachin suddenly stopped and Victor whispered something under his breath. 

Yuuri forced himself to look up and he saw it. On the hill ahead, right in their path, stood two mage-knights. 

_No, no this isn’t happening._

Victor’s hand swelled with his ice magic, and Yuuri knew right then and there what he was going to do. He brought forth the largest spark of fire magic he could in that moment. No matter what, Yuuri wouldn’t stop fighting. He found love, he found a new family, and he wasn’t about to give it up. Just when he resigned himself to his future, the mage-knights began to move. They stepped to the side of the path, leaving an open space. Victor let go of his breath as if he had been holding it. Upon closer inspection, Yuuri saw that the mage-knights were in fact Chris and Yurio. 

Makkachin made her way down the path and towards the two. Victor stopped her in front of them. 

“Thank you, dear friends,” Victor breathed. 

“Go live a good life you two,” Chris smiled, showing a genuine love for the couple. 

“Ey, get out of here, Lover Boy,” Yurio sneered. Despite his coldness, it seemed somewhat nice from him. 

Victor commanded Makka to continue. As they left the two mae-knights behind, Victor turned back and waved to his friends. Yuuri wasn’t sure if they waved back, but the smile on Victor’s face made everything they’d just gone through worth it. 

And so, the two rode away into an uncertain future. They were fugitives, they were in love, and they had no idea what was to come. They knew one thing, however: they had each other, and that was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VERY IMPORTANT! Hey fam bam, I gotta question for you. So this chapter is pretty much the last, aside from the next one which is pretty much just an epilogue that ties up a few loose ends. Before I begin writing that, I want your opinion on where this should go next. You can vote [here](http://www.strawpoll.me/14230072) on how you would like to see it continue. Your options are a second book, a second "part," or nothing at all. I'm okay with any of the options, I just want to know if you guys would read on or not. The second "part" and the second "book" would be the same story and length, just differently organized. I have set up the first story to fit with the second and you'd see some YOI characters that didn't get any time in this one. On the other hand, this ending is very much up to interpretation and you wouldn't risk disappointment if it doesn't continue how you'd like it too. 
> 
> In other news, I'm so blessed by all of your kindness and support for this story! I love all of you! I would love to get to know some of you! Please feel free to message me on my tumblr DancingAnya. I would really like to make some online fellow YOI fan friends! It really is no bother to me, and I'd love to hear from you! 
> 
> Lastly, whoever can tell me the Voltron S4 reference in this chapter will get a shoutout in the next chapter! Good luck!


	14. Growing PART TWO START

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor and Yuuri must make their way on their own...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to Suonjar on Archive for correctly guessing the "Lover Boy" Voltron reference in the last chapter! Good Job!

Dear Phichit, 

Hi, it’s Yuuri. I’m glad I got to say goodbye to you before I left for the castle because I’m afraid that it will be longer than we thought before I can see you again. Please keep the tavern safe and running smoothly. I believe in you and your ability to continue your training. Remember to always protect those who need it; Yutopia is a safe haven for everyone. I came by to grab some things and get Vicchan, so don’t worry about where he is. He’s safe with us. I’m not going to go into detail about what has happened so you don’t have to lie to the mage-knights who will inevitably show up at the tavern. Tell them what you know. We aren’t there, and we won’t be coming back. You are the closest thing I’ve ever had to a brother, and I’m so proud of how far you’ve come. I think it’s time you take on your own apprentice. There isn’t much more I can teach you. Please, don’t worry about me and keep the tavern running. Detrot needs it. 

With Love,  
Katsuki Yuuri 

 

_____________

Victor walked slowly through the forest with Yuuri treading next to him. Three days had passed since they left the castle, and Yuuri hadn’t taken it easy whatsoever. Despite his injuries, he kept on walking. Whenever Victor insisted that they take a break, Yuuri just went to the side and practiced his magic. Victor didn’t understand. How could someone with his injuries keep going like he is? He should be resting. If Victor tried to express these concerns, Yuuri pretended not to hear him. 

Yuuri stumbled. Rushing to his mate, Victor tried to help him stand, but Yuuri simply waved him away. 

“You need rest.” 

“I just tripped over a rock, Victor. I’m fine.” 

“But what about your injuries?” 

“I told you, it’s only a dull pain.” 

“Right, but… but I don’t want you to be in pain. I want to protect you-” 

“Victor, if this is because I’m an omega, then you need to stop. I’m perfectly capable.” 

“They always told us omegas are more prone to injury!” 

“‘They’ also said that omegas shouldn’t learn combat magic. We both know that’s not true.” 

“But… doesn’t it have to have some bit of truth to it?” 

Yuuri sighed. Victor didn’t want to upset him, he only wanted Yuuri to be safe. 

“Listen, some rules we have only make sense because that’s what we were told. When something gets passed down long enough, everyone starts to believe it without question. That doesn’t make it true. Those laws were made at a time when omegas were treated like property. I mean… they still are, to an extent, but those days were even worse.” 

“They used to be slaves. My teachers taught me that.” 

“Yes. Think about it. If slaves had power, then what could happen?” 

“... They could rebel.” 

“Exactly. I’m not saying that’s the only reason those laws were made, but you have to admit it holds potential. They made the laws, lied about why, and passed it down as truth to their heirs. And, eventually, that lie made it all the way to you.” 

Victor was in awe. Had he really been lied to all his life?

“Yuuri, I’m sorry. But when I say I want to protect you, I mean it. Please, just let me pretend like I’m helping you at the very least. Get some rest.” 

After a few moments of silence, Yuuri gave in, “Alright.” He walked over to a tree, unrolled his blanket, and settled in. Makkachin and Vicchan settled in by his feet. Satisfied, Victor stood near him and watched the area around him.

“What are you doing?” 

“Keeping guard.” 

Yuuri rolled his eyes, “If I’m going to rest, then you are too. Come here.” 

Although he wanted to keep his mate safe, Victor couldn’t resist the offer to sleep next to Yuuri. He laid down next to him and pulled the blanket over his body. As if by instinct, he wrapped his arm around Yuuri. They laid there in comfortable silence, but something was wrong. 

After escaping the castle and regaining his powers, Yuuri had once again masked his scent to smell like an alpha. That beautiful, sweet scent was now only something of Victor’s memory. He rustled. 

“Yuuri?” 

“Yes?” 

“Could you… I… I want to smell you.” 

“Well, I’m right here.” 

“No. I want to smell _you_.” 

Yuuri stiffened. Had Victor upset him? His thoughts were put to ease when the smell of male omega suddenly filled the air. Victor inhaled deeply, trying hard to memorize the scent. 

“You smell amazing,” he sighed. 

“You do too.” 

For a few moments, everything seemed perfect. Victor’s eyes began to feel heavy, and he soon fell into a deep sleep. 

 

________________

 

The sound of barking roused Victor from his sleep, and he soon found his arms empty of the warm presence that had been there before. He looked up, and what he saw horrified him. 

Three bandits stood, weapons drawn, facing the group. Makkachin and Vicchan growled in their direction, though it was hard to take Vicchan’s small form seriously. Yuuri was next to them in a fighting position. How had Yuuri heard them while Victor slept on? 

“Yuuri, hold on, I can handle this.” 

“Don’t move, Alpha! We only came for gold, but we found yer Omega instead! What a lucky day!” 

_Oh no, Yuuri’s scent blocking spell is still down._

“Look, why don’t you just leave-” 

Before he could finish, Yuuri summoned his light sword and hit one of them on the leg, leaving him on the ground. The next one was hit in the head with the butt of Yuuri’s sword, falling to the ground in pain. Yuuri turned to the next one, barely slashed his stomach, and then held him up against a tree, sword pointed at his neck. 

“You saw nothing.”

The bandit nodded furiously. 

“Leave!” 

The three got up and scrambled away, hopping on their horses and disappearing from sight almost instantly. Victor stood up. 

“We need to leave now,” Yuuri said, “Just in case they don’t keep their word.” 

“Yuuri… why did you do that?” 

“What?” 

“You could have gotten hurt!” 

“... Against a few bandits? I faced golems on my own only a few days ago.” 

“Right, but that was before you were…” 

“An omega?” 

Victor looked down in shame, “Yes…” 

“I was an omega before you knew I was. I was an omega when I took down golems and trolls, and I’ll always be an omega.” 

“I know…” 

“Then stop treating me differently. I’m still me! All I have now is a different scent.” 

“...That’s not all.” 

“What?” 

“Now I know you can get pregnant… and have heats.” 

Yuuri’s face turned bright red, he tried to hide it by turning away quickly, “Okay, so what?” 

Victor’s face turned red too, and the conversation was thankfully ended by Vicchan hopping into Yuuri’s lap. 

_Someday_ Victor thought _But not today._

______________

 

After a long day of walking, the crew settled down for the night. Yuuri had been eerily silent since they left, only talking when Victor started the conversation. As Victor built a fire, he decided to ask what was wrong. 

“Yuuri, are you injuries getting worse?” 

“What? No.” 

“Are you alright?” 

“Yes?” 

“Then why aren’t you talking to me.” 

“I am right now, aren’t I? 

“You know what I mean.” 

Yuuri sighed, “I’ve just been… thinking”

“About what?” 

“Victor, you’re a prince! I’m… I’m just a criminal. You could have anyone in the entire kingdom, and yet you’re here, being chased, with me.” 

“Because I love you Yuuri.” 

“Why!? What tricked you into thinking that I am someone worth abandoning your life for?” 

“Yuuri-” 

“You should go back. I’ll turn myself in, and you can go back to the life you deserve. I am selfish for taking you from it.” 

Victor frowned, “I chose to leave.” 

“And that’s my fault-” 

“No! Yuuri, don’t ever say anything like that! Ever! I wouldn’t have chosen a different path in a million years.” 

“You’re foolish.” 

Victor pulled away from the fire, looking Yuuri directly in the eye, “Maybe I am, but I like it this way.” 

Tears were beginning to form in Yuuri’s eyes, and Victor was by his side in a second. He held tightly to his mate.

“Yuuri, I love you so much. You’re special. You’re worth more to me than my old life. I would die if I ever saw you tied up in that dungeon again.” 

Yuuri simply sobbed some more. His actions surprised Victor, he hadn’t seen Yuuri show this much weakness before. 

_Then again, sometimes it takes more strength to cry than to fight._

He held him for several moments, letting him shed tears. Yuuri knew that he could never go back to his old life, and he felt bad for taking Victor’s from him. Victor had to show him that that wasn’t true. He lifted Yuuri’s face up to meet his, his tear-streaked cheeks still looking as beautiful as ever, before pulling him into a kiss. Yuuri’s sobs stopped as he melted into it, finally relaxing. Victor caressed his head. The warmth of the fire reminded Victor of the night Yuuri performed the fire dance and they kissed in the alleyway. 

_Well, it was a bit more than just a kiss,_ Victor thought, remembering the feeling of Yuuri’s abs. 

The kiss turned into more when Victor began to suck on Yuuri’s neck. Never before had he wanted something as much as he wanted Yuuri. Being with him was like having the last drop of water on earth, and he intended to treat him as if he were that precious. He began to undo the wrap keeping Yuuri’s cloak together. Soon, the fabric fell around his shoulders. Yuuri moaned as Victor began to suck on a new spot, leaving behind a dark spot on his skin. In a random act of confidence, Yuuri pushed Victor back and got on top of him. He began to unbutton Victor’s shirt and opened it up to reveal his chest. He leaned into his neck and inhaled deeply, causing Victor to shiver. His mate was amazing. 

_He’s not your mate yet,_ Alcandor’s voice echoed in Victor’s head. He knew it was true, but he refused to accept it. Suddenly, Victor got a horrible thought. 

_What if Yuuri leaves me? He’s not my mate… I wouldn’t be able to find him._

As if sensing his discomfort, Yuuri stopped what he was doing.

“We can stop.” 

Victor snapped himself out of his trance, “No, no, I’m fine.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes.” 

“Well, we should be getting to bed anyway.” 

“... I suppose you’re right.” 

As they laid together, Victor couldn’t get his father’s words out of his head. He thought about that all through the night and refused to let him go. 

 

____________

 

“Look, Victor, there’s a town up ahead!”

“Oh! What town is that?” 

“Seule. We should go there and get supplies.” 

Victor nodded in approval, and they approached the city. 

“Victor, this town is highly corrupted. Don’t talk. Let me handle everything.” 

“Corrupted?” 

The group approached the city and soon found themselves standing before a mage-knight. He didn’t look noble and kind like the ones at the capital; he seemed dirty and rude. 

“What’s your business here?” He snarled.

Yuuri didn’t say anything, only handed him a gold coin. 

The guard grinned, “You come to bring harm to my city then?” 

Yuuri held back a grimace before handing him another coin. 

“Just passing. Get on your way.” 

They walked away from the guard, and Victor turned to Yuuri, “What just happened?” 

“Money is the fastest and quietest way to get anything done. I didn’t want to cause a commotion.” 

“But… but you just wanted into the city!” 

“I told you, it’s corrupted. The same rules that apply at the capitol don’t apply here.” 

Victor was awestruck. He realized, then and there, that there was so much he didn’t know about his kingdom. Now, he was determined to learn it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the support that you guys give! As always, feel free to point out mistakes in the comments.
> 
> Tumblr: [DancingAnya](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/dancinganya) come talk to me!
> 
> Whoever can tell me which YOI character Seule will be the hometown of and why will get a shoutout in the next chapter (at the end bc spoilers.)


	15. Fight Hub

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor need money.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey fam bam! If you haven't already, now would be the best time to go read my one-shot for this story called "Rebuild." It'll make this chapter make a bit more sense, though it is not absolutely needed. Thanks!
> 
> Also, shout out to Sweetdofu on Archive for correctly guessing which character comes from the town of Seule and why! Lots of people got it right, but they were the first! Congrats! Find out by reading ;)

“This is ridiculous,” Yuuri said as he perused through the town stalls. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“Everything here is way too expensive. The money we gathered from Yutopia won’t last very long.” 

Victor paled, “Really? I mean… it’s not that much.” 

Yuuri sighed, “Welcome to being poor, Victor. We need to get some money.” 

“Well, we could perform like you did that night at the capital. People threw coins at you.” 

“That may work if we were in a town as rich as The Capitol, but we’re in Seule… Victor, I have an idea.” 

“What is it?” 

Yuuri turned to an abandoned building nearby, “I’ve been to this town before. It’s notorious for its underground fighting rings. I can go-” 

“No! Yuuri, I can’t let you get hurt like that.” 

“Victor I’ve done this for years.”

“I can’t-” 

“I don’t care. You wouldn’t be this way if you still thought I was an alpha.” 

“Yuuri…”

“Victor…” 

Victor sighed, “Fine, but I’m fighting too.” 

“I don’t know Victor. I know you’re a good fighter, but you’ve never done this before. All of these people are veterans.” 

“I’ll still win.” 

Yuuri sighed, knowing that there was no way of stopping him. 

“It’s not all about winning, it’s about wooing the audience. It’s more of a dance than a fight. You have to work together with your opponent and beat them at the same time.”

“Easy.”

“It’s not, actually.” 

Victor pointed to himself, chest swelling with pride, “Don’t worry about it Yuuri. I can handle it.” 

_______________

 

“Yuuri, this place is disgusting.” 

“Stop whining.” 

The couple made their way down an old staircase and into the basement of the abandoned building. The place was lit with magical lanterns and people were just starting to crowd around in the center of the old dirt floor. They all looked poor but fierce. Despite not having formal training, they weren’t people you’d want to mess with. 

“Those are the fighters,” Yuuri explained to Victor, “This is where we register and get our fighting order.” 

“Listen up!” a lady yelled to the group, getting the attention of the motley group, “My name is Anya and I’m organizing tonight.” 

“I’ll fight for you, Anya!” A lovesick voice came from the crowd.

“... Right. Everyone put your name or symbol, if the art of writing alludes you, on a slip and put it in the box. We will draw names to decide who fights and when.” 

Victor grabbed Yuuri’s arm as he went to grab a slip, “Yuuri, what if we are put together?” 

“Then we’ll fight. It’s not a big deal. No one here hates each other, we all want the same thing.”

Everyone did as they were told and soon “Anya” was reaching into her box to pick out the fighters. 

“First up: Mila versus Victor.” 

Victor turned to Yuuri, “I’m first!” 

“Second: Emil versus Kendall. Third: Kane versus Michele. Forth… Minami!” Anya ended angrily.

A small boy with a red streak in his hair flinched, “Yes?”

“You know you’re not allowed to be here.” 

“But I want to fight! I promise I’m strong enough!”

“No. Your father said that you’re not allowed, so you need to go home. We will not have you here.” 

The small boy shrugged off, clearly upset about his luck. Yuuri remembered when he was his age and still had to fight to live. This boy is lucky his father cares for him so much.

“Forth: Sara versus Alana. And, lastly, Yuuri versus Georgi.” 

Yuuri smirked. He got to be the grand finale.

“Alright, listen up! For you newbies, the fighter’s room is right over there.” She pointed to a room in the corner closed off with a curtain. “You better be good tonight. Seung-Gil Lee is visiting and this is his hometown. Don’t disappoint him.” 

Seung-Gil Lee? When Yuuri was fighting, he was just a child under his father Sir Lee. He pushed to the front of the crowd, hoping to talk to Anya. 

“Hello, Anya?” 

She turned to him, slightly annoyed, “Yes?” 

“I haven’t fought underground for a long time. Whatever happened to Sir Lee?” 

“Sir Lee is dead. Seung-Gil runs the rings now.” 

Yuuri was shocked. He had such a respect for Sir Lee, and this news was saddening. 

“Thank you.” 

Yuuri went back to Victor, who was waiting patiently where they stood before, “Sorry about that.” 

“No worries, Yuuri. Let’s go back to the fighter’s room and you can tell me about the fights.” 

Yuuri led him back, taking in a deep breath of the scent he knew long ago. He’d been to this location more than once, and it hadn’t changed much. The Room was lit by three small lanterns, and the only form of privacy was a personal stool each fighter got to sit on. A tub of water for washing blood off sat in the corner with a stack of stained cloths, and the walls were built crudely with stones making up the walls. It was loud. The fighters here seemed to know each other well and were having fun with each other.

 _At least we aren’t sharing our space with rats this time_ Yuuri thought to himself. 

“Ey,” the fighter known as Emil said, gesturing to the couple, “Wanna drink?” 

“No thank you,” Yuuri responded curtly, knowing what he was like when he was drunk. He didn’t need that before a performance. 

“Oh, don’t be a downer,” a girl he remembered as ‘Sara’ said, putting her arm around Yuuri’s shoulders. Victor seemed bothered by this but tried not to show it. Something was off about her, but Yuuri couldn’t quite place it. 

“Hey, I know you! The red-headed alpha girl he knew as Mila said as she got close to Yuuri’s face. “You used to fight here! I’ve never seen someone get as many gold coins as you did.” 

Emil’s eyes grew wide, “This is the guy you talked about?” 

Sara’s grip on Yuuri tightened, “Woah, how did you do it?” 

The beta man known who had earlier been called Michele grabbed Sara and pulled her away from Yuuri, “Sara, we talked about-” 

“I don’t care who you are, I will beat you and win Anya’s love!” The alpha “Georgi” interrupted as he dramatically pointed in Yuuri’s direction. 

_At least he’s passionate._

“Don’t worry about him, Yuuri,” Mila said, turning her head back towards the duo, “And who might this be?” She said while gesturing to Victor. 

It felt a little weird to Yuuri, being treated as if the alpha knew him even though he didn’t remember her. He awkwardly gestured towards Victor. 

“This is Victor…” 

“Is he any good?” Mila asked, interested in her competition. 

“Well…” 

“I’m great! Right, Yuuri.” 

“... Right.” 

“Ey! The viewers are filing in! Round one get ready!” Anya's voice cut through the room.

With that, the group dispersed, leaving Victor and Yuuri to themselves. 

“Alright, here’s what you have to know,” Yuuri said to his mate, “Everything is fair game unless it destroys the arena. You can hurt or injure your competition in any way-”

“What!?” 

“-Except killing. Also, I would go out there as soon as possible to warm up. Dazzle them. Make them want you to win. That’ll get you more money. The people watching you are the few rich people around this area. They’re bored and tired, so make them happy.” 

Yuuri pushed Victor out of the cloth-covered door and stood against a wall to watch. He knew Victor would regret this, but, sometimes, you have to learn the hard way. Mila was already out there, using water and light magic make herself look angelic in the resulting rainbow. It was beautiful. Victor used his ice magic to coat his body in “Armor.” His technique was great, but his performance left something to be desired. 

Soon the battle began, and Victor looked Mila in the eyes. Although Victor didn’t have much experience in the rings, he did have training. Maybe he would do okay.

____________

 

“Round one goes to Mila!” Anya yelled to the crowd. Coins flooded her side of the arena as she waved to the cheering. Yuuri sighed. This was going to bruise Victor’s ego for sure. 

Victor slumped over to Yuuri, arm bleeding and walking with a visible limp. Mila came over towards them too. 

“You fight like a knight,” She snickered, “That’ll never do down here.” 

Yuuri helped Victor recover with his healing magic while he waited for his for his turn. The second fight went to the fighter called Kendall, followed by a win from Michele. The fourth fight was when things got interesting. Sara was on the field, and Yuuri still couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her. It had to be something.

Sara pulled out a sword. An actual, non-light sword. She began her battle, never once using an ounce of magic. That when it hit him: she was an omega. 

“I don’t like her doing that,” A new voice came from behind him, “but she’s too stubborn.” 

Yuuri turned to see Michele, who was watching his sister with eagle eyes. 

“I’ve never seen an omega fight down here before.”

“I told her that she could not learn combat magic because of the laws, and she retorted by learning non-magic fighting to prove how worthy she was. I have a feeling she would have done it despite my protests anyway. She’s not one to listen.”

“Well, you are only her brother. You have no control over her actions.” 

Michele sneered at Yuuri but said nothing. He watched as his sister miraculously defeated her opponent without any magic at all. It was quite the sight. Next, it was Yuuri’s turn to fight. Georgi, his competitor, seemed far more interested in wooing Anya than the audience. This would be easy. 

Yuuri began his warm up in his own fashion, spreading fire across his body and making the flames seem to dance alongside his movements. The audience ate it up. He’d wink at the ladies of the crowd and began to use wind magic to dramatically blow his ropes. Even after all these years, he still had it in him.

The fight began and ended fairly quickly, with Yuuri coming out the victor. He held up his blood-dripped arm and waved to the crowd gathering around them as gold coins flew in his direction. As he turned, he soon found himself staring into dark, cold eyes that looked exactly like the ones of the old ringleader Sir Lee. Seung-Gil. He looked much older than Yuuri knew him to be, and his expression was rather cruel and focused. He didn’t have time to look on longer as he went back to the fighter’s room. Out of the corner of his eye, Yuuri noticed him whispering to Sara and Michele. 

_I wonder what that’s about._

“Yuuri! You did great! We have plenty of money to last us awhile,” Victor commented, clearly trying to get as far away from the rings as soon as possible. 

Yuuri cast healing spells on his arm near the washtub. The cut was almost fully healed when, suddenly, he was grabbed from behind. 

“Hey! What are you-” 

A hand found it’s way over his mouth, and a magic-bound rope went around his wrists, sealing his spells. He struggled and struggled as his captors began to lead him into another room that he had not previously seen. It was dark, but soon he became aware of his surroundings. He was being held in place by Michele and Sara, and Victor was not too far away being held by Emil and Mila. At the center of the dark room sat Seung-Gil, looking as terrifying as ever. They pushed Yuuri down, so he knelt before him. The ringleader stood, squinting his eyes to get a closer look at Yuuri. 

“It’s Yuuri, right?” 

Yuuri nodded slowly, not sure of his intentions. 

“You know, the castle issued a huge price on your head.” 

_What?_

“We could turn you in and get a pretty large sum of money.” 

The people surrounding him laughed in response. 

“Lucky for you, my old man had a soft spot for you, and I need a favor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to start by saying that "Anya" was the YOI character Anya, not me lol. 
> 
> However, there WERE some commenter shout outs! Haha ;) 
> 
> Thanks again for all of the support you guys give, you have no idea how much it means to me. 
> 
> I just had a band/choir concert, so the first person to guess what band instrument I play will get a shout-out in the next chapter! Bonus points if you can guess what I play in jazz band lol.
> 
> Come talk to me on my Tumblr DancingAnya or my IG anyaisdancing ! I'd love to hear from you!


	16. Honor Among Thieves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Victor make a deal...

Victor struggled with his bonds, but it was no use. The magic keeping his hands from working only got tighter the more he struggled. He tried to relax, but, when the leader talked about turning Yuuri in, he could do anything but relax. 

But then, he asked Yuuri for a favor. Maybe they still had a chance. 

“What kind of favor?” Yuuri asked him. 

“You’re powerful. Extremely powerful. And you’re an omega-” 

“How do you-” 

“So I know you’ll be ready to fight for my cause.” 

“Your cause?” 

“See, you’ve probably noticed the surplus of bandits as of late.” 

“Of course.” 

“And you’ve probably also noticed they aren’t normal bandits. They’re working together.”

“I’ve had my suspicions.” 

“Well, then you’ve probably also heard about the omega sex trades.” 

“The what?!” 

Seung-Gil gave a slight smile, “I have your attention. Sara, Michele, please release him.” 

The twins let Yuuri go, who seemed uninterested in Victor at the moment. He stood up and stared at their leader, “Tell me more.” 

“The bandits have been stealing money from travelers to add to their combined stash. To make even more money, they’ve been capturing omegas and selling them in an underground sex trade. What’s more, they have a particular preference towards male omegas.” 

“So what, you want me to be a decoy? Is that all!?” 

Suddenly, the scent of male omega filled the room. Except it wasn’t Yuuri. He gasped. The scent was coming from Seung-Gil.

“I wouldn’t do that to one of my own.” Seung-Gil took steps towards Yuuri, “I don’t want you for your omega-ness. I want you for your power. Down here, the rules of gender don't matter. My father passed away believing that, and I put it into action. You want to know why?” 

“...Why?” 

“Because of you. My father told me he read your journal one day while you were in the woods packing. He learned about what you did. So, when I presented as an omega, he knew what to do. Now the underground rings are open to everyone, alphas and omegas alike.” 

Sara lifted her head, clearly proud to be an omega in the rings.

“I-I can’t believe it,” Yuuri stuttered. 

“Well believe it. Now I need your help.” 

“I’ll do whatever it takes to end the omega trades and free them. Whatever it takes.” 

Seung-Gil gave a rare smile, “Good.” 

Suddenly, as if only now remembering that Victor was there, he turned to face him. 

“And what about him? That’s Victor Nikiforov, is it not? A royal has no place among our ranks. We could get a hefty ransom for your return.” 

“He gave up his royal life. He wants to learn more about us. Give him a chance.”

“And why should I? Royals have destroyed our lives since the beginning.” 

“Because… because he’s my mate.” 

The room fell silent.

“...Were you forced into mating?” 

Yuuri shook his head, “No. We haven’t even mated yet. I trust Victor with my whole heart. I believe he would fight for us. And, should he someday return to his place in the palace, he will remember the struggles we face.”

Seung-Gil examined Victor for a moment, trying to look into his eyes for one sign of guilt. 

Victor thought. 

“Alright, but one wrong move and you're out.” 

Victor’s bonds were cut and he stood up and quickly as he could to bring Yuuri into an embrace. Seung-Gil was not amused. 

“Mila, please show them around.”

“Yes, Sir.” 

“You will be provided with food and a place to stay. Please, make yourselves comfortable.” 

“Thank you, Sir Lee.” 

“Sir Lee was my father. Just Seung-Gil.” 

With that, the trio headed down a hallway to find themselves in a fairly nice underground building. Mila gestured to a door. 

“This will be your room during your stay. Uh, do you want two? Or…” 

“One is fine,” Victor interrupted. 

“Of course. You get settled in and I’ll be back in a bit.” 

“Uh, Mila,” Yuuri stopped her.

“Yes?” 

“Our familiars are waiting in the forest by themselves. Could we go get them?” 

She smiled, “I’ll send Emil to fetch them for you. They both have a language translation charm, yes?” 

Yuuri and Victor both nodded. 

“Good. Enjoy!” 

With that, she walked off. 

Yuuri opened the door to find a small, charming room with chests to store items. Their winnings and materials that had been left in the fighter’s room were already inside. 

Seung-Gil was not counting on “no” for an answer. 

Yuuri sat down on the bed, and Victor finally let out what he had wanted to say since they got here.

“What just happened?” 

Yuuri simply laughed, making Victor all the more worried. 

“Yuuri? I think this is too serious. We need to tell the mage-knights.” 

“Victor, the mage-knights here are corrupted.” 

“That’s not possible! I train them myself.” 

Yuuri stood up so he could look Victor in the eyes, “Some places are corrupt, and that’s just a fact. You’re not a prince anymore, so you’ll have to work with what you’ve got.”

Victor slumped, knowing that Yuuri was right. 

“Hey,” Yuuri pulled Victor in close, “It’s going to be alright.” His half-lidded eyes closed as he leaned into Victor. They met in a kiss. It wasn’t like their other kisses, hot and passionate, but more loving and reassuring, just like his words. 

A knock on the door roused Victor from his trance. 

“Come in.” 

Emil opened the door and two fluffy familiars bounded into the room. Yuuri and Victor leaned down in joy to pet them, and Emil laughed at the joy the four seemed to display. Once they calmed down, he spoke to the humans. 

“We are going to get dinner at the local tavern. Seung-Gil wants you to join so we can get into specifics.” 

Yuuri nodded, “Of course we’ll be out in a moment.” 

After being left alone, Yuuri turned to Victor. 

“I know you’re nervous, but just think of our luck. You can help your country in a way you never have before. I trust Sir Lee, and his son is no different. Can you trust me?” 

Victor, after hearing those words, spoke with full confidence, “Of course.” 

Yuuri smiled, “Great.” 

The duo made their way out to the main room where the rest was waiting. Seung-Gil was not present. 

When Victor brought this fact up, Mila was the first to answer, “He doesn’t like to go out in public. Too many people want him dead.” 

Victor was put off by this, but Yuuri seemed oddly calm. 

_I’m beginning to worry what Yuuri’s earlier life was like._

The motley group went outside to see the starry night above. The tavern was only a few buildings away and was clearly made up of people much like the group themselves: in hiding, not wanting to draw too much attention to themselves. Unlike Yutopia, which was warm and made you feel good, this place held an air of temporary protection. You knew you could be safe here, but you couldn’t stay. No one bothered anyone else or even talked to them for that matter.

They sat at a table and a server came over. Mila, who was clearly showing her place as the leader of their group, ordered food and a round of gin. After they left, she turned to face Yuuri and Victor. 

“So, I’m sure you have some questions, but let me start. We are the Liberators, and our focus is to save the kingdom from the injustice and corruption.” 

“If you want to get rid of corruption,” Victor started, “then why do you fight in illegal fighting rings?” 

“The fighting rings do more good than bad, you see. They may be illegal, but so many poor people need the money they get from it. Just like us. It was made with the best intentions, and it still stands. All of us here need it to survive.” 

Emil nodded, “It’s true. I run a tailor shop in town, and the mage-knights take everything they want without pay. I’d fight back, but even I can’t stand up against so many of them. Plus, I can’t charge too much for my products or no one could buy them. Without the rings, I would starve.”

The normally quiet Michele spoke too, “It’s the same with Sara and I’s blacksmith shop. They take and take and take. There’s nothing we can do.” 

“Except fight the root problem,” Sara ended. 

“Which is?” Victor questioned. 

“The bandit clan. They send in recruits to mage-knight training to be sent out around the kingdom. I can’t even imagine what the other towns look like.” 

Victor gasped, “What? This happened right under my nose-”

“A lot of things happen right under your nose. The corruption spreads even to the castle. They work their evil everywhere they can, and we have to act quickly.” 

Mila spoke up, “That’s not to say that the corruption is only caused by this group. It’s a mindset. No one is clean of illegal activity and prejudice.”

“How do we help?” Victor asked, earning a surprised look from Yuuri. 

“We want Yuuri to track the bandits to their hideout.”

“Why me?” 

“You’re the strongest. Plus you can hide your scent, which none of us know how to do.”

“Wait, no! If Yuuri’s going anywhere I’m going too!” 

“Victor-” 

“No! This isn’t about you being an omega or me thinking you’re too weak or anything like that! I know you’re strong, even stronger than me… But we don’t know what’s out there, it could be anything! Plus, I want to defend my country. If I can’t do that from the throne, then I’ll do it here.” 

Yuuri was speechless. The table around them fell silent as the members marveled at the Royal’s words. 

_Please, Yuuri._

He smiled, “Victor, I would want no one else with me.” 

Sara awed at the same time Michele rolled his eyes. Mila cleared her throat. 

“I suppose that will be fine, but you both have to accept the risks that come with this mission. Like Victor said, we have no idea what you may find.” 

Yuuri looked at Victor and gave a warm smile, “I think we can handle it.” 

“You’ll do great!” A new voice called from below the table. 

Everyone looked down to see the beta boy with a red streak in his hair crouched under them. Mila grabbed his ear and pulled him out.

“Minami! You’re not supposed to be here! How many times must I tell you!” 

“Please! I want to help! I’m not much younger than any of you!” 

“We know that, but your father says that you’re not allowed-” 

“Why not?! He used to fight there.” 

“Which is why you should be thankful he doesn’t have to anymore. You need to go home. He’s probably missing you at the bakery.” 

The boy frowned and slumped off, leaving the crew to themselves. 

“I’m sorry about him. His father used to be one of us and now there’s nothing his son wants more than to be one too.” 

“Why did his father quit?” 

“He got in too deep and he felt like his family shouldn’t have to worry about someone killing him. He tells his son that he got enough money to quit, but he really doesn’t It’s sad to see them struggle, but they are better off than many of Suele’s citizens.” 

“That’s so sad,” Victor said, looking towards the ground. 

“That’s only the beginning, Victor. This kingdom may be prosperous in trade, but the people suffer. That’s what you need to open your eyes to.”

Victor hung his head low, “Now I can’t do as much about it. I’m no longer a prince, and I doubt my father would ever let me take the throne now.” 

Sara put her hand on Victor’s shoulder, “You did a good thing, Victor. Being royalty is not the only way to help people. Sometimes, even just a smile will do.” 

Michele, pulling Sara’s hand away from Victor, added, “She’s right, you know.” 

“Thank you, Yuuri and Victor, for giving us hope that we haven’t had in awhile. Not only do we know the royal’s minds can be changed, but we have the strongest fighter in the kingdom on our side.” 

“I don’t know if I’m the strongest in the kingdom,” Yuuri blushed.

Georgi, who had been sulking the entire time, turned to him, “I hate to admit it, but you were fantastic. How do you do it?” 

Victor slung his arm around Yuuri’s shoulders, “He _is_ fantastic. I thoroughly believe that, if he sets his mind to it, he can accomplish anything."

 

_______________

 

It was the middle of the night, and Victor got up to the sound of a whining Makkachin. 

_She must need to pee_ Victor thought as he dragged his tired body out of bed to help his familiar. But Makka didn’t make her way to the door, Vicchan standing right beside her. 

“What?” 

The two both whined next to the bed, making Victor turn to see what they were upset about. And there he saw one of the saddest things he had seen in awhile: Yuuri crying in his sleep. 

Victor quickly tried to shake him awake. Screaming, Yuuri woke up with a scare. He took in deep breaths, trying to hide the tears that covered his face. 

“Yuuri, love, what’s wrong?” Victor asked softly.

“Nothing… nothing, Victor. I’m sorry. It was just a bad dream.” 

“What was it about?” 

“It doesn’t matter, it was just a dream. 

“It matters to me.” 

Yuuri hesitated, but eventually sighed, “I was dreaming about the day my family died in the raid over my town. I kept… I kept seeing them… burning. I saw my sister’s neck get slashed in front of me, I saw myself get taken away by the pirates. Except, this time, I didn’t get away. They took me and tortured my and used me and…” Yuuri sobbed some more, “My parents were so disappointed in me. I failed them. I failed them!” 

“Yuuri! Yuuri! No, they wouldn’t ever be disappointed in you. The person you are now is so amazing. They’d love you even if you made the biggest mistake in the world, which you haven’t. You've done so many amazing things. Even if you had been taken by pirates, you did nothing wrong! Yuuri, please understand. You’re amazing.” 

Yuuri sniffled, “I’m sorry Victor-” 

“Don’t apologize.” 

“-for the way I’m acting. Ever since the battle outside of the capital… I keep having these dreams. I’m hoping… I’m hoping that helping these people will put an end to them. Maybe then I can help people like me.” 

Victor pulled Yuuri into a big hug, wiping away the tears that still spilled, “I know you will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all of the support you guys give! I'm sorry (or your welcome?) for the barrage of chapters recently. I tend to get inspired to write this when I'm procrastinating my AP English homework XD Oh well, at least I like doing this. 
> 
> Yuuri has two character foils in this story, can anyone name them? Shout out to the first one! 
> 
> Thanks again, and feel free to point out any mistakes you see!
> 
> Tumblr: DancingAnya IG: anyaisdancing message me!


	17. The Lair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor and Yuuri go on a mission...

Yuuri ducked behind a bush, pulling Victor along with him. He looked through the branches to spy on the people ahead of them. It looked like they hadn’t been spotted. The bandit crew in the distance stopped for a few moments, and Yuuri decided now was the time to make their move. Seung-Gil’s instructions still rang clearly in his head. 

_‘I need you to find a group heading back to their lair. Join them. We need to know where to strike. Look around, escape, and report back to us. The Liberators are putting a huge trust in you, and I have great trust that you will succeed. Try to return by sundown so we can begin planning our attack as soon as possible.’_

Yuuri motioned to Victor, who nodded in response. Getting into character, they stood and began to walk towards the group. After dawning rugged clothes and emphasizing their scars, the duo looked like a pair of bandits heading towards them. Yuuri, who changed his scent to appear as a beta, took the lead. 

“‘Ey fellas!” Yuuri yelled at the group, lugging a large bag over his shoulder. Victor followed, also lugging a bag. The bandits turned and seemed rather confused. 

“What do ya need?” 

“We’re just wonderin’ if we can go back with you lot. It’s safer, after all.” 

The bandits seemed to examine the two carefully. Their leader let out a hearty laugh. 

“Alright, lads, go ahead an’ put yer goods in the wagon.” 

Yuuri and Victor poured their bags of loot into the wagon that the bandits pulled with them. The gold and jewels mixed in with the other’s gatherings. 

_‘Please, try not to lose my valuables.’_

_‘I’m sure it will be fine.’_

_Sorry, Seung-Gil_ Yuuri thought to himself.

“Thanks, lads… er, ahoy!” 

Yuuri gave Victor a kick, reminding him that he agreed not to talk. Thankfully, the group didn’t seem to notice as they went back to their trekking. The duo trailed behind hoping to not look suspicious. They walked and walked. Yuuri joked around with the bandits, and Victor stayed true to his word and kept mostly silent. One bandit spoke up upon noticing this. 

“Ey, why’s this one not talkin’? C’mon, lad, say somethin’!” 

Before Victor could open his mouth, Yuuri cut in, “Er, he’s just… mysterious. Gotta keep his reputation, ya know?” 

There was a moment of silence. 

_Please, please take it._

“Ah, I see,” the bandit chuckled, “I got you, mate.”

The other bandits laughed merrily and went on their way, leaving Victor and Yuuri to breath a sigh of relief. 

_I can’t believe that worked._

They kept on walking with the bandits until it was about the afternoon. They took turns pulling the wagon, and it took every bit of Yuuri’s willpower to not enchant the wagon to drag itself. After being in the middle of nowhere for so long, Yuuri thought they had to be getting there soon. Soon, Yuuri saw that they were getting very close to Grande’s mountain range. They kept getting closer and closer until they were walking right next to it, feeling the cold air rushing down its steep incline. Walking around a sharp curve, the group suddenly found themselves approaching a giant cave. It was filled with bandits, gold, and… a dragon. 

_What?! A dragon?!_

They got closer and closer, and Yuuri could begin to feel the heat from the dragon’s smelly breath. Soon, they were inside the cave and only a short distance away from the dragon and huge piles of valuables. The piles gold, jewels, and anything else of value seemed to be endless. 

Groups of bandits shoveled valuables into a pile from which the dragon would eat. Its huge jaw made a horrible sound when it crushed the metal, causing Yuuri to flinch. Its giant red wings were tucked into its huge nest where it lay. As Yuuri and Victor watched in awe, one of the bandits turned and laughed at them.

“Ya act like this is yer first time ‘ere. She’s a beaut, ain’t she?” 

Now it was Yuuri’s turn to be tongue-tied, “Ab-absolutely.” 

As the bandit walked away to help unload their treasure into the pile, Yuuri snapped himself out of his trance.

“Victor, come over here.” 

“Right.” 

The two made their way behind a pile of gold, just within earshot of the dragon. She was talking to a woman who appeared to be the leader of the bandits. The leader was terrifying but seemed tiny compared to the monster next to her. 

“Aladeoro, when will you finally help us?” 

“When I feel like you’ve given me enough food, darling,” the dragon hissed. Her words were twisted and long, sultry in the most terrifying of ways. 

The bandit leader snarled, “We’ve given you so much! All we ask is that you help us take over the castle!” 

Aladeoro hissed, bringing her huge head in close to the alpha bandit woman, “Listen, Veneno, I saw you try to attack the castle without my help. You failed. Did you honestly think you stood a chance without me? Do you not trust me?” 

“Veneno” lowered her head, “Of course I trust you,” She gritted out. 

“Good.” 

The dragon lowered her head into her nest, going to sleep as a means of ending their conversation. Yuuri watched on even as he felt Victor tapping on his shoulder. 

“Yuuri.” 

Yuuri kept watching.

“Yuuri!”

“What!” 

“Look,” Victor pointed behind them, and Yuuri turned to see one of the worst things he had ever seen in his life. Omega girls. Lots of them. They were all in cages, and staring at Yuuri and Victor with wide eyes. Among them were a few beta women, but the thing that caught Yuuri’s attention the most was a separate cage that held three young boys, all omegas. 

“This… this must be a part of the omega sex trades Seung-Gil mentioned,” Yuuri angrily got out. 

“Yuuri, what are we going to do? We can’t leave them here.” 

“I… I’m not sure. You’re right. We need to help them.” He looked towards the cave entrance and back towards Victor. “How far can you teleport from here?” 

“Well, I could probably get us near Seule, but not there exactly. Why?” 

“What if you teleported the prisoners as close to Seule as possible?” 

“Alright, but what about the bandits? And the dragon? They would surely notice.” 

“Psst!” A voice called out to them. 

The duo turned to see one of the omega woman gesturing for them to come towards her. They crept slowly in her direction, careful to avoid bandit guards. She whispered to them. 

“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Are you mage-knights?” 

“Ye-” 

“-No, but we are here to help.” 

She breathed a sigh of relief and gestured to some guards nearby. 

“They hate guarding us. Just tell them you are here to take over their duty. Surely they will let you.” 

“Thank you, ma’am. We’ll get you out of here.” 

The two made their way over to the guards, careful to act as if they belonged. Yuuri tapped on one’s shoulder. 

“We’re here to take over.”

The guard breathed out, “Finally! I thought my shift would never end. These dumb omegas never do anything, and we can’t interact with ‘em! Have fun, lads.” 

As soon as they were out of sight, Yuuri kept watch and Victor got to work. He grabbed the hands of two omegas and teleported them out of the cave. Soon, he returned and looked to Yuuri.

“I got us fairly close. Keep watch while I get the rest of them out.” 

Yuuri nodded and stood, making sure no one came near. Everything seemed to be going fine for a few long moments. 

Interrupting their focus, a bandit suddenly began to run through the cave with greedy hands full of treasure. 

“Stop him!” Veneno shouted to her troops. 

It didn’t take long for the bandits to round up their former mate and bring him before their leader. She snarled. 

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” 

“I-I have a family! Please, Master, let me go. You can have the gold! I was bribed to be here, I don’t want to do this!” 

The leader simply laughed, “You traitor. You know the punishment for leaving us.” 

“Please, please, don’t do anything! I have a family! A daughter!” 

“Daughter? What is she?” 

“O-omega.”

Veneno smiled evilly, “Fine. Give us the omega, and you will be free.” 

“B-but the omega sex trades-” 

“Yes?” 

“W-would she…” 

“Don’t be stupid. Why else would we want a useless omega!? Aladeoro, this man won’t give us what we want. What should I do?” 

The dragon seemed uninterested in the human affairs. She simply yawned, “Kill him.” 

Yuuri knew he had to do something, but he couldn’t jeopardize their mission. What could he do? 

The alpha leader called upon a light sword and raised it above her head, but, seconds before it reached the man’s head, the dragon shouted.

“Stop!” 

She smelt the air. Veneno rolled her eyes. “What is it, Aladeoro?” 

“I smell… power… great power!” 

“Of course you do, I am one of the greatest magic-wielders,” Veneno snickered, clearly pleased with herself. 

“No, you fool, I smell real power! Someone is here. Towards the omegas.” 

Victor looked at Yuuri in fear, knowing that the scent had to be coming from his mate. Dragons were extremely rare, and Yuuri had no idea they could smell power like that. The omegas looked at them fearing their escape might not happen. Suddenly realizing what he had to do, Yuuri stepped into the middle of the room in front of the dragon. 

“I’m who you’re looking for!” 

Victor gave him a terrified look, but Yuuri gestured for him to keep going. Reluctantly, he got back to work. 

The dragon snarled at Yuuri, “What are you here for, wizard!” 

Veneno looked shocked, “He’s just a simple bandit. You can’t be smelling him!” 

“It’s him.” 

Yuuri squinted his eyes, hoping to distract her attention from the omegas as much as possible. 

“I’m here for your gold! It belongs to the people!”

The dragon hissed, “NO! It’s mine!” 

She flung her giant claw at Yuuri who teleported away to dodge. He taunted her.

“Is that all you’ve got?” 

The previously hot breath turned into fire heading in Yuuri’s direction, which was counteracted with a stream of water that he sent in her direction. The fire was put out once it hit the water, and steam enveloped the cave. 

She hissed and threw her head, “You think that’s all I’ve got?! You have no idea!” 

Yuuri ran up to her, calling a light sword to strike with. He jumped beneath her scaly belly and slashed upwards. It barely penetrated her hard body, but it caused her to snarl. She reached her giant claw beneath her, grabbing Yuuri by the cloak. Dragging him out, Aladeoro brought Yuuri up to her face. 

“You will die, wizard.” She flung Yuuri to the ground. Calling upon the winds only softened his fall, and pain shot through his body. He barely had time to turn and see the dragon shoot light magic at him before getting directly hit. 

Aladeoro let out a huge laugh, “You have no chance against me.” 

Yuuri stood, struggling, “I might not, but I will try.” 

“Fool.” 

She spewed out light magic again, which Yuuri dodged with teleportation. 

“Get him!” Veneno shouted at her minions. 

“NO! HE’S MINE!” She shot magic stream after magic stream, and Yuuri did his best to avoid them. One lucky shot hit him and he fell to the ground. 

“Bow, wizard!” 

“N-never.” 

Aladeoro shot one last light beam, and Yuuri shot one back himself. They met in the middle and, while they were fairly even, it was clear Yuuri couldn’t hold on much longer. He watched as the beam got closer and closer to him. Try as he might, Yuuri couldn’t push it back. He pushed and pushed and pushed, but it was no use. Just as the beam was about to hit him, Yuuri felt a hand on his shoulder. Suddenly, he was in a field far away from any dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the support! We just hit 1900 kudos and are almost to 2000, so I thought I would write a one-shot in celebration! Leave me your ideas! 
> 
> As always, please feel free to correct any mistakes you see! 
> 
> Whoever can tell me what Aladeoro and Veneno's names mean will get a shout-out in the next chapter!


	18. Attention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor and Yuuri help the prisoners...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to Lepheret on Archive for correctly guessing that Aladeoro is from "Gold wing" in Spanish and Veneno is "Poison!" Great job! ^_^

Victor teleported the last prisoner to safety: a field not too far away from Seule. 

 

“Stay here!” He ordered before beginning the spell to go back and get his Yuuri. 

_Please, please be alright. Even I’ve never fought a dragon before. ___

__Once he got to the bandit lair, Victor looked around frantically for his mate. He saw him right as he got hit with a stream of magic._ _

__

__“Bow, wizard!” The dragon yelled._ _

__“N-never.”_ _

__The two fighters shot light beams at the same time, meeting in the middle. Try as he might, Yuuri couldn’t hold her back for much longer. Victor knew that Yuuri was strong enough to hold his own, but right now he needed help._ _

__Before he could reach Yuuri, Victor noticed the bandit who was almost killed by Veneno trying his hardest to escape, being brought down by the strong winds the magic gave off. He kept struggling, but couldn’t get far._ _

__Victor sighed and moved towards him. He clearly thought Victor was trying to hurt him and backed away as he approached. Victor lunged, grabbing the man’s ankle and teleporting him to the field._ _

__“W-what?!”_ _

__

__Teleporting once again into the bandit's lair, Victor came as close to Yuuri as he could muster and reached his hand out, the strong magic pushing him back._ _

___Come on, just a little bit further!_ _ _

__He stretched his hand out and, just as the magic was about to hit Yuuri, grabbed his shoulder and teleported to the field. They were safe._ _

__Yuuri took in a deep sigh of relief before falling into Victor’s arms. Laying him down, Victor stroked his hair in the grassy field._ _

__“Yuuri? Yuuri are you alright?”_ _

__“I’ll… I’ll be fine. I promise. Did you get all of the prisoners?”_ _

__“Yes, they’re right here.”_ _

__“Good,” Yuuri tried to sit up but immediately flinched and laid back down._ _

__“Yuuri, please stay still. You’re hurt.”_ _

__Yuuri nodded, “I’ll try to heal, please look after them.”_ _

__“Alright.”_ _

__“And Victor?”_ _

__“Yes?_ _

__Yuuri smiled, “Thank you for saving me.”_ _

__Victor smiled back, “You would’ve done the same. No one should have to take on a dragon alone, not even the strongest fighter in the kingdom.”_ _

__Yuuri only laughed before relaxing and beginning to tend to his wounds. Turning away, Victor looked at the group of prisoners who looked back at him with wide eyes, the bandit Victor saved along with them._ _

__“I’m Victor-”_ _

__“Nikiforov. The prince, right?” an omega woman interrupted._ _

__“Well, yes. How did you know?”_ _

__“I’m from the capital. They kidnaped me one day when I was traveling back home. Thank you, your highness.” She began to bow._ _

__“Oh, please don’t. I’m not the prince anymore. I’m just Victor.”_ _

__The woman and the others seemed confused but stopped bowing anyway._ _

__“Well, prince or not, you saved us. How could we ever repay you two?”_ _

__“Your freedom is enough.”_ _

__Victor noticed three young boys huddled together. The omega boys. He took a step towards them when some of the alpha women blocked his way._ _

__“No royal will go near these three, former or not. They’re just kids.”_ _

__“What!? I’m not-”_ _

__“May I?” Yuuri asked, suddenly appearing behind Victor. He was limping and holding his side, but he still seemed very caring and sincere._ _

__The alpha women stepped aside hesitantly, revealing the three scared boys._ _

__“T-thank you, a-alpha,” one of them stuttered out._ _

__Yuuri gave a warm laugh, “That’s very brave of you.”_ _

__“W-what is?”_ _

__“Talking to an alpha. I imagine that they haven’t been the nicest to you in your time since you’ve presented. In fact, you’re all very brave for surviving in the bandit's lair. That must have been terrifying.”_ _

__Another one spoke up, “It was.”_ _

__Yuuri looked at them sadly, and Victor marveled at his mate’s sympathy with the children. He began to imagine what Yuuri would be like with their children and a smile formed on his face._ _

__“Do you want to know a secret?” Yuuri asked them._ _

__They nodded, suddenly less scared than they were before. Yuuri let his scent go, and the smell of male omega grew stronger. The three little boy's eyes grew wide, and they all leaped forward to bring Yuuri into a hug. The former prisoners around them gasped._ _

__“An omega… he went up against a dragon!”_ _

__“He’s powerful.”_ _

__“How in the world…”_ _

__Yuuri, who tried his best to not show pain from his wounds as the children pressed against him, spoke to the three above the others, “My name is Yuuri. I’ll keep you safe, alright? What are your names?”_ _

__The boy who seemed to be the leader of their group spoke up, “I’m Balan, this is Gio and Vane. Yuuri, you’re so powerful! You faced a dragon!”_ _

__Yuuri blushed, “Well, I didn’t beat it-”_ _

__“Can you teach me to be like you? Please!”_ _

__Once again, Yuuri seemed to be at a loss for words. Victor spoke up._ _

__“Balan, don’t you have a family to-”_ _

__“They’re dead. The bandits killed them. I saw it. Please, Yuuri! I don’t have anyone else.”_ _

__Yuuri, overcome with emotion, nodded his head and pulled Balan into a hug, “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”_ _

________________ _

__

__“Yuuri, how are we going to get all of them back to the Liberators without attracting attention?”_ _

__“I don’t know. We could take them back in small groups.”_ _

__“No.”_ _

__“What?”_ _

__“I’m not leaving you again, especially with your wounds.”_ _

__“Victor-”_ _

__“Yuuri, I promise that this isn’t just about you. I almost watched you die. I don’t want to be away from you.”_ _

__Yuuri smiled sadly at him, “Alright, we’ll all move at night.”_ _

__“What about the nighttime mage-knight rounds?”_ _

__Yuuri laughed, “They’re corrupt, remember? If they don’t have to be awake at night, they won’t be. Or they’ll be drunk.”_ _

__Victor cringed, “Right.”_ _

__“I’ll stay here and get a fire started. Balan, Gio, and Vane will need cloaking spells if we’re going anywhere near Suele. You go get food.”_ _

__“Alright. I won’t be gone long.” Victor began to leave, but then paused and turned back to Yuuri, “I brought the bandit who was about to die here too. What should we do about him?”_ _

__“You don’t have to do anything.”_ _

__The two turned, seeing the man there facing them._ _

__“What do you mean?”_ _

__“Thank you so much for saving me. I never wanted to be a bandit, I had to for my family. I hate to ask more of you. I’ll be on my way now.”_ _

__“Please stay with us,” Yuuri interjected, “You could have information we need.”_ _

__The man thought for a moment, eventually nodding, “Alright. As thanks for your heroism, I will come with you. But I’m leaving afterward, I need to get back to my family.”_ _

__“Thank you, we will need your help.”_ _

________________ _

__

__After the sun went down, Yuuri, Victor, and the group of prisoners began their trek to Suele. It wasn’t too far away, being within seeing distance, but it was still quite the walk. Yuuri cast scent hiding spells on the boys and a few of the other omegas to make sure not to draw attention to themselves. They made their way slowly but surely and, within an hour or two, they were at the town’s entrance._ _

__Yuuri whispered to stay put while he made sure the coast was clear and gave the signal that everything was fine. They quickly made their way to the Liberator’s hideout and brought the people down the stairs towards the main room._ _

__“Are you sure this dusty place is safe?” one of the omega women whispered._ _

__“Yes. It gets better soon.”_ _

__They made their way into the main room where Seung-Gil, Sara, Michele, and Mila stood in a circle, obviously concerned._ _

__“Seung-Gil! We’re back!” Yuuri said as they entered the area._ _

__The four looked up at their motley group and seemed shocked. Sara leaped forward and gave Yuuri a hug._ _

__“You’re alive! We all thought you were dead!”_ _

__“Who is this?” Seung-Gil said, trying to move past the relief he clearly had on his face._ _

__“These are the omegas you told us about. We found them at the hideout. They need immediate attention from healers. Yuuri too.”_ _

__“I don’t need-”_ _

__“Sara, take them and Yuuri to see the healers.”_ _

__“Right.” Sara ushered them away, pulling Yuuri along with her. Soon, only Michele, Mila, and Seung-Gil were in the room with Victor._ _

__“What happened?” Michele asked in shock._ _

__“We followed the bandits to their lair and found out they’re working for a dragon. They give her gold and jewels to eat and she promised to help them take over the castle. They want to overthrow my fathers.”_ _

__“Well, that’s not an awful idea-”_ _

__“Michele! They can’t be up to any good.”_ _

__“Mila’s right, even the current kings are better than Veneno and her gang.”_ _

__“You know about Veneno?”_ _

__“Yes, we’ve been trying to find her for ages. You saw her?”_ _

__“She was there with the dragon. It seemed to abuse its privilege over her.”_ _

__“Veneno’s not the type to allow others to control her. This dragon must be powerful.”_ _

__“It is. Yuuri almost died trying to fight it.”_ _

__Seung-Gil seemed lost in thought, probably trying to decide how they were to take down such a beast. That’s when Victor remembered the bandit._ _

__“We also saved a bandit from execution, he’s with the former prisoners. He agreed to give us information.”_ _

__“Good work. We’ll go interrogate him now. Go get some rest, you deserve it.”_ _

__“I will, but I need you to promise me something.”_ _

__“Of course. What is it?”_ _

__“There are three male omegas in that group. They’re all kids. Please keep them safe.”_ _

__“I didn’t even know there were that many male omegas in the world, nonetheless the kingdom!”_ _

__“Please, please keep them safe. Yuuri will never forgive any of us if something happens to them.”_ _

__“Neither will I. You have my word.”_ _

_________________ _

__

__After being healed by the healers, Yuuri returned to their room where Victor was waiting. He laid down next to Victor and seemed extremely tired._ _

__“Are you feeling better, Yuuri?”_ _

__Yuuri smiled, “Yes, I’m a lot better. Thank you, Victor.”_ _

__“Thank you. Without you, that dragon would’ve killed us all.”_ _

__They sat in silence for a bit, just enjoying each other’s company. The silence was cut short by weeping._ _

__“Victor? Are you crying?”_ _

__“Yes, Yuuri! You almost died!”_ _

__“Oh, Victor, I’m still here.”_ _

__“But you could have never gotten out, I would have never seen you again.”_ _

__“I’m here, I’m here,” Yuuri pulled Victor into a hug, “Nothing happened.”_ _

__“I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re the only thing I have left.”_ _

__Yuuri seemed as if he wanted to say something but didn’t._ _

__“What is it?”_ _

__“What do you mean?”_ _

__“You want to say something. Tell me… Please.”_ _

__Yuuri sighed, “Alright, Victor. I want to tell you about my family. We all were very close. My mother was the best chef in all of Hasetsu, which was good because we owned a hot spring inn called Yutopia.”_ _

__“Just like your tavern.”_ _

__“Right. When I presented as an omega, my family decided right away that they wanted me to have as normal of a life as possible. They were going to protect me, but that all went awry when pirates invaded our town. My mother and father died in the fight, and my sister died in front of my eyes.”_ _

__Victor’s tear-filled eyes grew even sadder as he mourned for his mate._ _

__“I’m not trying to make your situation seem like less of a problem by saying this, Victor. I just wanted to say, I’ve lived the past ten years without a family. I’ve had friends, sure, but never anyone who I would call a family. Until I met you. And, sure, maybe our family is a bit small and weird, a criminal and an ex-prince, but I’m happy to have it.”_ _

__Tears freely fell from Victor’s eyes, “I love you too Yuuri. I love our family so much. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love you.”_ _

__The two kissed, and it suddenly became something more. It was loving, passionate, and free. Victor melted at every kiss and realized he wanted this forever. And he was willing to do anything to get that. And so, after Yuuri finally went to sleep, he stood up. He wanted to protect his family, and he knew what he had to do to achieve that._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again guys for all of the support and love you give each and every chapter! I really, really, really appreciate it! 
> 
> The first person to guess where the three boy's names come from will get a shout-out in the next chapter! This one's a bit more difficult, so I'll say that two of the names have to go together to make sense. 
> 
> If you see any mistakes, please point them out! I edit by myself, after all. 
> 
> Message me! Tumblr: DancingAnya IG: Anyaisdancing I'd love to hear from all of you! Let's talk :)


	19. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri finds a note...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to Analys on Archive for correctly guessing what the three boys' names mean! If you're interested, go check it out!

When Yuuri woke up the next morning, he hoped to see the shining face of his beautiful mate, but, instead, he was met with an empty spot where he should be. 

_Maybe he already woke up._

Yuuri’s thoughts came to a halt when he noticed a letter in Victor’s spot. 

_That’s adorable_ Yuuri thought of his mate’s actions. He picked up the note and began to read. 

_Dear Yuuri, I’m so sorry, but I have to leave. I love you, and I love our family, so this is absolutely necessary. I can’t just sit and let us fight this battle on our own. I’m going to help. If something should happen to me, I believe in you. I believe that you, the strongest fighter in the kingdom, can prevail. I love you, Yuuri. Please, please forgive me._

\- Victor Nikiforov

Yuuri was in shock. He felt sad, then angry. He threw the note against the ground and hit it with fire, burning it to a crisp. How could he!? 

_How could he leave me…_

Yuuri ran out of the room. Maybe Victor hadn’t left yet. He ran through the room hallways and into the main room where Seung-Gil and Mila were talking. 

“Oh, good morning, Yuuri. How are-” 

Yuuri ignored her and as he ran through the room and up the stairs. 

_Please, please still be here._

He flung open the door and ran out onto the street, but no one was there. Victor was gone. 

“Yuuri, what’s wrong with you? Come inside. We don’t want the mage-knights to see you.” 

Yuuri allowed Mila to lead him inside and back down the stairs. He couldn’t believe it. Victor really left him here all alone. 

 

_I thought we were a pair. Why would he just leave? I know he didn’t like it here, but I would have gone with him wherever he asked. We were a family._

“Yuuri, what’s wrong?” Mila asked, sitting him down in the main room. 

“Victor… Victor’s gone.” 

“What do you mean?” Seung-Gil asked. 

“He left last night while I was sleeping. The note he left said he was trying to help, but I don’t see how this is helping me.” Tears began to form in Yuuri’s eyes, and he clenched his hands. 

“Oh, Yuuri, I’m so sorry. I’m sure Victor had a good reason.” 

“What if he tells the royals about us? I said we shouldn’t trust him-” 

“Seung-Gil! He did a great deed for us. Do you not trust him at least a little bit by now?” 

Seung-Gil leaned against the wall making a soft agreeing sound. Yuuri took a deep breath.

Yuuri sat for a moment before a thought came into his head, “Where are the boys?” 

“Gio, Vane, and Balan are all in the infirmary with the others. Nothing seemed to be wrong with them, but we didn’t have enough beds to get all of those prisoners a place to sleep.” 

“Thank you.” 

Yuuri began to walk towards the infirmary when Seung-Gil spoke up. 

“Be back here soon. We will begin planning our attack on the bandit’s base when everyone gets here.” 

“Right.” 

Yuuri walked down the long hallway towards the infirmary. Time to think wasn’t always a good thing. 

_What if he decided that being with me wasn’t worth it? What if I never see him again. He’s probably better off… but what if he goes to a town with corruption and gets himself killed? Oh Victor, please be okay. I… I love you so much._

The tears that were forming in Yuuri’s eyes fell and he began to sob loudly. Yuuri leaned against the hallway’s wall and fell to the ground, burying his head in his arms. He wailed loudly, not caring if anyone could hear. Apparently, somebody did. Gio, Vane, and Balan peaked their heads out from their room and saw Yuuri sitting there. They went to talk to him. 

“What’s wrong, Yuuri?” Vane asked. 

Yuuri sniffed, “Oh, it’s nothing.” 

Gio chimed in, “Clearly it’s not. Tell us. My mom always said that it’s okay to be sad.” 

Smiling softly Yuuri spoke, “She’s right… I’m sad because I just lost the only family I had left. He may come back... but he might not. I don’t know.” 

“You mean Victor?” 

Yuuri nodded. 

Balan came up to Yuuri after not speaking the entire time, “I’ll be your family, Yuuri. Please let me!” 

As Yuuri looked up at Balan with tear stained cheeks, the other two spoke up, “I have a family, but I’ll be your family too!” 

“Yeah, me too! We can all be family!” 

The three came in and hugged Yuuri, squeezing him tight and passing a relaxing feeling over his body. Yuuri smiled at them.

“Thank you! I would love to be your family.” 

Gio and Vane pulled away, but Balan stayed. 

“Balan?” Yuuri asked, soon realizing that tears were going down his face too. “What’s wrong?” 

“I lost my family... They’re all gone too. I’m so glad to have you.” 

Suddenly, Yuuri got an idea, “Balan, since you are my family now, would you do me the honor of being my son?” 

Balan’s face lit up and he hugged Yuuri even tighter, “Yes! Yes! Thank you!” 

Yuuri’s heart filled with joy as he hugged his newfound son back. 

_Surely Victor won’t mind… if I ever see him again._

 

______________

 

The leaders of the Liberators all met in the main room to discuss their plan of attack. 

“It won’t be hard to trap them if they’re in a cave, but the dragon will pose a real threat,” Seung-Gil started. 

“I can handle it,” Yuuri spoke up. 

“No, you can’t. Someone else should help you. Someone strong,” Mila pointed out. 

“I will,” Seung-Gil offered. 

“That could work, but will two people be enough to hold of a dragon?” 

“This would be much easier with Victor here…” 

“Yuuri, stop being sad.” 

“I could help,” Michele offered. 

“Yes! We will help you!” 

“Sara I don’t think you should-”

“Great!” Mila interrupted, “Yuuri, Seung-Gil, Sara, and Michele will take on the dragon. The rest of us will focus on the bandits.” 

“They fall like they’re made of glass. This will be easy!” Emil added. 

“True, but we will have to watch out for Veneno. She is powerful.” 

“You should face her, Mila. I believe in your skills.” 

“Thank you, Sir,” Mila smiled evilly, “It would be my honor.” 

Yuuri leaned over to Emil and whispered, “Is Mila alright?” 

“Yes, she just has a personal vendetta against Veneno. Word is she called her a whore.”

Seung-Gil cleared his throat, ending their conversation. 

“Okay, so does everybody understand the plan?” 

The group nodded in response. 

“Good. Round up the Liberators for a battle. We will attack at dawn.” 

“Will there be enough of us? There are a large number of bandits,” Yuuri questioned. 

Seung-Gil simply smirked, “You have no idea how many of us there are. The Liberators spread across multiple towns and people. We are just the surface. Despite this, I don’t know if we have more than them. We will rely on our skills instead of our numbers. That’s what won you the battle for the Capital, correct?” 

Yuuri nodded. 

“Good. I’ll see you before we leave.” 

“Yuuri! Yuuri!” Small voices cried. 

Yuuri turned to Gio, Vane, and Balan, his new son, running towards him. He smiled. 

“Yes?” 

“We want to go too! We’ll give those bandits a piece of our mind!” 

 

“Yes! We’ll get them back for what they did to us!” 

“Woah, woah. Slow down, boys. You can’t go to the battle.” 

“Why not? You’re an omega and you fight.” 

“Being able to go to battle has nothing to do with whether or not you’re an omega. It has everything to do with your battling skills. I promise I’ll teach you all to fight someday, but, for now, you’ll have to be strong in a different way for me.” 

“A different way?” 

Yuuri smiled and nodded, “Yes. Can you promise me that, when I leave, you’ll say goodbye with smiles on your faces? And say hello the same way if... when I return?” 

The boys nodded eagerly, wanting to make Yuuri happy. 

“Good,” He brought them into a hug, “Someday, you’ll be able to do this too. That day is just not today. I learned that lesson myself when I was your age.” 

Gio and Vane pulled away, but Balan stayed. 

“Come back safe, father,” He said. 

“I will.” 

“And, Yuuri?” 

“Yes?” 

“Get revenge for us.” 

____________

 

Once Yuuri got back to his room, he sat down on the bed and wept. He wept for his lost mate, and for the poor lost boys. He thought back to when he was their age and lost his own family. It was terrible. He felt like he had to take on the entire world. That was the last thing he wanted for them. Soon, Gio and Vane would be back with their parents and Balan would stay with Yuuri. He would need to show their parents scent-hiding spells and show them some defense magic. This couldn’t happen again. Not to them. 

Yuuri laid his head down and took in a deep smell of the place Victor once slept. It smelled like him. The deep, beautiful scent that could have Yuuri falling in an instant. It gave him courage, but also made him sad. Yuuri had thought that they might even mate that night before he left, but now he didn’t even know where he was at. 

_He left just before we could become true mates for a reason I suppose._

A knock sounded on his door, “Yuuri! It’s Mila! Are you ready to go? We need you to show us where the base is!” 

“Right.... I’ll be out there in a moment.” 

“Can I come in?” 

“I-I would rather you didn’t.” 

“I’m coming in.” 

Mila entered to see Yuuri in tears. 

“Oh, Yuuri. Don’t cry!” She held him in her arms, “Victor will be back, I can promise that. The way he looks at you is so adoring and sweet… I was surprised that you weren’t mated yet!” 

Yuuri whimpered at the subject. 

“Oh… Well, I promise that you won’t have to wait long. Can you promise me something?” 

“W-what?” 

“Trust him. He trusts you enough to let you fight a dragon on your own. Trust him with this.” 

Yuuri hadn’t thought of it like that before. He sat up, looked Mila in the eyes, and nodded. He could do this. It would be what Victor wants. 

 

_________

 

The troops trekked to the bandit base in the dark of night. Yuuri led the way, followed closely by Mila and Seung-Gil. The stars and moon lit the way a little, but the darkness was still covering. When Seung-Gil said they had a lot of people, he wasn’t lying. They had so much more than Yuuri originally thought. That said, they didn’t have as many as the bandits. These people were all fighters in the ring who wanted justice and peace. It made Yuuri happy to know that he was a part of these brave citizens. Soon, in the light of the sunrise, the base could be seen in the distance. 

“There. That’s it.” 

“Very good, Yuuri.” 

“Seung-Gil!” Sara called from behind.

“Yes?” 

“Look what I found,” She said, dumping a person at his feet. The person flinched and covered their head, but the blonde hair with a red streak revealed it to be Minami. 

“Minami! You’re not allowed to be here! Your father will be worried sick!”

“Please, please let me fight! I’ve been practicing and I think I can do it!” 

“You’re father said no so I do too. I will not disrespect him.” 

“But-”

“No. You will stay back here and wait for us to return. After that, you’re going home.” Seung-Gil led the group towards the base, and Yuuri felt the need to talk.

“You know he’s still going to fight, right?” 

“Of course I do, but this way I can at least say that I tried.” 

The troops hid around the mountain side and Seung-Gil stood to give orders. 

“Alright, we will move in and trap the bandits. No one goes after the dragon or Veneno unless absolutely necessary. We have people assigned to those positions. Now-” 

He was cut off by the sound of horses running over the hill. Everyone turned to see knights in glistening armor standing at the top of the hill. Leading them was Victor who wore the royal crest proudly on his chest. His face glowed like an angel in the sunlight. 

_This is it_ Yuuri thought. _He chose to go back to royalty. We’re all going to be put to death for our transgressions against the crown. I love you, Victor. I’m sorry I failed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the support you give on each and every chapter. I can't even express how much it means to me. We are almost to 2000 kudos, and that just blows my mind. I can't believe almost 2000 people liked my work enough to leave kudos. It really, really makes me feel more confident and ready to take on the world. 
> 
> Whoever can guess what Veneno/the bandits are inspired by will get a shout-out in the next chapter! Hint: Veneno means poison. 
> 
> Come talk to me! My Tumblr is DancingAnya! We can talk about Yoi, dogs, gay stuff (like me), or just life and stuff. I love meeting people!


	20. The Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight begins...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout-out to KattietheNumera on archive for correctly guessing that Veneno and the Bandits are inspired by Plumeria and Team Skull from Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon! I just got the new game and it's great! ^_^ Good job!

Victor leaned down and placed a kiss on Yuuri’s forehead after leaving a note next to him. 

_I’m sorry, Yuuri. They need you here, and this is my mission._

He sat up, stood, and made his way out of the room. After lots of thinking, Victor knew that he had to tell his fathers about the attack. It was his duty. He would beg for mercy, and then gather a bench of mage-knights to go and help the Liberators fight the bandits. This was the only way to be rid of the bandits and finally let the citizens gain trust in the crown. He would only do it under his conditions, and the kings would never find out about the Liberators hideout or the underground fighting rings. If they said no, then Victor was at their mercy. 

_They have to understand. They’re my parents._

Victor teleported out onto the streets of Suele. Almost no light shone on the corrupted town and he heard shouting in the distance. Victor grimaced, wanting to help but knowing that he didn’t have the time. Teleporting to the capital would be difficult from this distance, but Victor had no other choice. He teleported, focusing as hard on the familiar streets as he could, and felt himself be ripped from Suele’s streets. Opening his eyes, Victor saw the beautiful gates of the capital. 

Home. 

Suddenly, the gates seemed to move and become blurry. Victor collapsed from exhaustion. He had never teleported that far in his life, and he was hoping that would be his last time. 

“Hey! Who’s there!” a voice yelled in the distance. Mage-knights approached him quickly, trying to find out who the fallen intruder could be. They turned him over and gasped. 

“Victor? Why are you here? You need to leave,” Otabek’s familiar voice spoke deeply. 

Victor was too busy taking deep breaths to respond. 

“Victor, you idiot! We let you go free! Why are you back?” Yurio’s voice spoke next. Victor was glad to see that he hadn’t suffered any repercussions for helping him and Yuuri escape, but now wasn’t the time.

“Take… take me to my… my fathers.” 

“Why?” 

“I need… I need to… to tell them something.” 

“Agh, how far away did you teleport from? You look awful.” 

“Yurio-” 

“Right, right, take you to your fathers. I understand. Come on.”

Yurio and Otabek helped Victor to stand and began to lead him through the town. Otabek’s deep voice rang through Victor’s head. 

“Victor, are you sure you want to do this? Your fathers will never let you see him again.” 

“I have to try.” 

“As you wish, Your Highness.” 

“I am not a prince anymore-” 

“Don’t be stupid. Alcandor is going crazy trying to find you. He even issued an award for your return,” Yurio put in. 

Victor hadn’t considered that his father would be worried when he left. He figured that Alcandor would be furious. 

Otabek and Yurio continued to help Victor until they were at the gates of the palace. Yurio cast a magic identification spell and the gates opened right away, allowing them to pass through. The castle looked as beautiful as Victor remembered, but now something was different. Instead of giving him a warming and safe feeling, he was scared. Who knew what awaited him within those castle walls now? If everything went well, he would be met with smiling faces and could still be with his Yuuri. 

Victor didn’t want to think about what would happen if things didn’t go well. 

They led him through the front door and into a sitting room, earning interesting looks from the mage-knights keeping guard. Otabek ran to get the kings, and Yurio helped Victor to sit. He was feeling better, but the help was still appreciated. 

As Victor sat and tried to earn back his strength, Yurio looked at him cautiously. He walked over and Victor thought for a moment that he would slap him, but his raised his hand and began to cast a spell. Soon, Victor’s exhaustion began to wash away. It was a healing spell. 

“Yurio? When did you learn healing magic?” 

Yurio grimaced, “Why does it matter, old man?” 

“I didn’t know you knew it.” 

Yurio kept working, but the silence was deafening, “I learned it when I saw Yuuri use it in battle against Mikako. I thought it would be helpful.” 

“You learned it that quickly?” 

“I’m not that good, alright?! I just know a little. It’s not that impressive.” 

Victor leaned into his chair, feeling better by the second, “I think it’s impressive.” 

Yurio tried to hide a small smile, but Victor saw it. He didn’t say anything. 

“Victor!” a new voice cried. 

The two looked up to see Eden running towards them in his nighttime robes. He gathered Victor up into a hug. 

“Oh, son, I thought I would never see you again!” 

Eden released him and Victor saw another figure enter the room. Alcandor. 

Victor stood. “Father, I’m sorry-” 

Alcandor cut him off with a big hug, almost crushing Victor underneath. Eden joined in and Victor noticed the tears streaming down both of their faces. He smiled. 

“I missed you both so much.” 

Once they pulled away, Alcandor wiped the tears from his eyes and spoke, “Victor, I love you son. Please, never leave like that again.” 

Victor straightened, “I can’t promise that.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I have a favor that I need to ask of you. It’s important, I promise.” 

____________________

 

Victor rode his horse quickly through the countryside, chest adorned with the royal crest. The rising sun in the distance gave light to see the large cavern where he knew a dragon slept. He used a projection spell to speak to the men riding behind him. 

“I see our destination! Be ready!” 

A loud cheering echoed behind him as they continued on their way. Victor always loved the feeling of riding his horse into battle, but this time it had more of a weight. When he went to check the Liberator’s hideout, they had left for battle already. 

_Please, please tell me they have yet to attack._

He rode his horse over a tall hill and saw the most amazing thing he had ever seen at the bottom: his Yuuri. He stood there looking at Victor as he stopped his men at the top, hoping to give them some space. Instead of being excited, Yuuri’s face looked worried. 

_Yuuri, what’s wrong?_

Victor looked at his mate and gave him a nervous smile. He rode down the hill, never taking his eyes off Yuuri. The rest of the mage-knights stood back understanding what this meant to Victor. The horse came to a stop at Victor’s command right in front of Yuuri. Victor spoke quietly. 

“Yuuri…” 

“Victor…” 

Yuuri’s eyes, though filled with fear, held a look of hope and love. Upon seeing this, Victor dove off of his horse and gathered Yuuri into a huge hug. As if clinging to his lifeline, Yuuri squeezed back. They both began to break out into sobs. 

“V-Victor! Never do that to me again!” Yuuri cried, “I love you. We’re a team!” 

“I’m so sorry, love. I love you, I love you, I love you! I don’t ever want to let you go…” 

“Don’t.” 

Victor laughed, “We’re going to take this dragon down… together. After that, I’m all yours.” 

The surrounding crowd filled with a series of “awes” and groans at their words. Victor turned to Seung-Gil and nodded. 

“Please, lead us into battle, General.” 

Seung-Gil smirked, “It would be my pleasure.” 

Using a projection spell, Seung-Gil talked to the whole group. 

“Inside this cave are bandits who all of us have fought before, a mage of great power, and a dragon. Yuuri, Victor, Sara, Michele, and I will fight against the dragon, Mila and one of your men against the mage.”

“Chris, that will be you.” 

Chris winked sensually, “It’ll be my pleasure.’ 

“The rest of you will fight against the bandits. They are not well trained, so they should be easy to slay. Watch out for the dragon and don’t lose focus. Are you ready?” 

Cheers erupted from the crowd. 

 

“Charge!” 

Victor grabbed Yuuri and pulled him onto his horse before charging into the cave. Sleeping bandits littered the floor and Veneno laid against a rock. Yuuri held tight to Victor and pointed. 

“There.” 

At the center of the cave laid the dragon who was waking up from all of the noise. 

“What’s happening?!” She cried, “Who interrupted my sleep!” 

Her shrieks began to wake up the other bandits, but it was too late. The battle had already begun. 

Mage-knights and Liberators alike helped one another out in defeating the bandits. It was quite the sight, and Victor’s chest swelled with pride upon knowing that the two untrusting groups were working together. When he told the mage-knights their mission, they had been hesitant but followed Victor’s order anyway. They were great soldiers, Victor and a feeling this fight would be over sooner rather than later. 

Victor rode his horse up towards the beast, pointed his sword at her, and yelled. 

“Aladeoro! We’ve come to take back our kingdom!” 

She hissed, “You’re back? And you’ve brought friends. Adorable. I hurt you last time, but this time I’ll destroy you!” 

She launched her fiery breath at the duo. Yuuri cast a light shield that protected them before it hit. He jumped off of the horse’s back and stood where the fire once was.

“For Grande!” He yelled and charged towards the dragon. Victor soon lost sight of him in the flurry, but there was no mistaking his work. Aladeoro would come up with burns and giant scratches from the fight, and Seung-Gil, Sara, and Michele weren't too far behind. The five worked together in near perfect harmony. When the dragon shot, they would shoot right back. Often they could beat her in a power struggle and turn her shots right back against her. Victor cast ice shards at her face, causing her to close her eyes in pain and give them some free shots. 

On his left, Victor caught glimpses of Mila and Chris fighting Veneno. She tried cast poison spells, but Mila’s healing skills always beat her out. Chris seemed impressed with her, but he stayed focused on the battle… in his own way. He taunted Veneno with sauve smiles as he fought and made her too frustrated to cast correctly. Victor sighed. 

_I suppose that’s one way to do it._

Victor looked up to see Yuuri standing on a ledge in the air. He saw what Yuuri was about to do. 

_You’re brilliant, dear._

When Aladeoro was distracted with the other three fighters, Victor teleported up to where Yuuri was standing. He nodded to him. They knew what they had to do. 

Calling upon their swords, the couple ran off the ledge and took a huge jump. They each shoved their swords into the top of Aladeoro’s head and held on tightly. She screeched and swung her head back and forth, tossing the two around vigorously. Finally, after holding on for his life for quite some time, her head fell limp to the ground dead. Yuuri stood up alongside Victor to look over the scene. Bandits scattered all over the ground and the mage-knights and Liberators stood victorious. The battle was over and they had won. 

_____________

Victor sent the mage-knights back to tell his fathers of their success. 

“But what about you?” Chris asked.

“I promise I’ll be back soon, I have some business to take care of here. Plus my fathers can’t know of this place, it’s secret.” 

Chris only chuckled, before turning to leave with the others who had gathered outside of Seule. They waved goodbye and Victor waved back while holding Yuuri next to him. He turned his face to give him a kiss. 

“Victor?” Yuuri asked when they pulled away. 

“Yes, dear?” 

“There’s something I have to show you.” 

“What is that-” 

“Father!” a voice cried as he made his way to the couple. 

Victor looked so see Balan running towards them. 

“Father?” 

The young boy ran into Yuuri’s arms and held on tight. 

“Victor, you know Balan. He is our son now… I hope that’s alright.” 

Victor leaned down, placed his hand on Balan’s shoulder, and smiled, “That’s perfect.” 

After lots of food, hugging, and celebrating, and duo finally made their way to their room. The place seemed more like home than ever, and they both laid down on the bed together. 

“Yuuri, I can’t believe everything that’s happened. We defeated a dragon, my fathers want us to return to the palace, and now we have a son. I couldn’t be happier.” 

Yuuri turned over and looked at Victor with half-lidded eyes, “I could,” He whispered, ”Mate with me. Please. I love you so much.” 

Victor smiled, “I thought you’d never ask.” 

And so, at the end of their long and eventful day, Yuuri and Victor finally settled down and become the one thing they were perfect for. With a long night of nothing but pure love, they became each other’s mates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY CRAP guys! Over 2000 kudos! I can't believe it! I want to write a one-shot in celebration, but I'm not sure what to write about. Please leave your ideas in the comments and I'll pick one to do! It can be TTT related or something completely different! Thanks so much for getting me here, I honestly can barely even imagine 2000 people coming to this story and enjoying it enough to press the like button. It's amazing! Thanks again! I couldn't do it without all of your support ^_^
> 
> Feel free to point out any mistakes you see! Thanks! 
> 
> Come talk to me! My Tumblr can be found [here.](https://dancinganya.tumblr.com/) I love meeting new people!


	21. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The epilogue to Yuuri and Victor's adventures...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit short, but the next one will make up for it. I promise ;)

“Yuuri, are you ready?” 

Yuuri turned to see Victor adorned in the most beautiful clothing only a prince could wear. He smiled at his mate, “When you are with me, I’m always ready.” 

Victor grabbed Yuuri’s hand, pulling it closer so he could bring it up to his lips, “You look stunning, My Love.”

Yuuri blushed, never quite getting used to the barrage of compliments that Victor showered him in every moment he could. He was wearing a royal mage robe tailored to be fit for a king, which was the most expensive thing he had ever worn in his life. It fit him perfectly, and Victor couldn’t stop glancing over at his mate with love in his eyes. 

“Do you think this is a bit too much, Victor?” 

“Perhaps, but the kingdom will have nothing less.” 

Yuuri laughed but was interrupted by a beta man walking into the room they were talking in.

“Your Highness, Mister Katsuki, are you ready? The ceremony is about it begin.” 

Victor turned to him, “Of course, begin at once.” 

He nodded and walked off. Soon, trumpets sounded and the doors opened, temporarily blinding Yuuri from the sunlight. Alcandor’s voice could be heard with a projection spell over the roaring cheers of the crowd, “Please help me in welcoming the heroes of Grande who slew the beast side-by-side, Prince Victor Nikiforov and Master Mage Katsuki Yuuri!” 

Victor and Yuuri walked hand-in-hand through an aisle lined with citizens cheering while throwing rice and flowers. As they neared the stage, Yuuri looked up to the people waiting for them. On one side of the kings stood the Liberators, proudly watching their new members and each adorned with a golden medal around their necks. On the other side stood the mage-knights from Victor’s battalion who fought alongside them. The kings smiled brightly as the mates stood in front of them and kneeled. 

“Please stand,” Alcandor spoke. 

They listened, and Alcandor continued, “You, alongside your brave comrades, have done what we ourselves could not. You put an end to the bandit crisis and landed the finishing blow on a fearsome dragon. Please, dear son and honorable mage, what would you like in return for your brave actions?” 

He turned to Yuuri, silently asking for him to go first. 

“I want to begin the end of omega prejudice by asking that all laws making omegas less than any other secondary gender be removed. Including the law that says omegas cannot practice magic.” 

Cheers erupted behind him and Yuuri’s chest swelled with pride. 

“It shall be done. From this day forth, omegas have the same rights as every other citizen.” 

Suddenly, the scent of omega got a bit thicker around them as people cheered and cried in the crowd. All of the omegas finally felt free. Yuuri looked over to General Minako, who had dropped her own scent blockers. The mage-knights around her were giving her a hug, and she watched Yuuri with proud tears in her eyes. 

_Thank you, teacher._

“And Victor, my son and future leader of Grande, what is it that you wish?” 

“I wish that we investigate all of the corruption in our cities and work to make Grande a better place for everyone to live.” 

More cries of joy came from the crowd. Seung-Gil gave Victor a nod of approval; he finally trusted him. The king looked his son in the eye. 

“It shall be done. It is long overdue.” 

The crowd cheered more and Liberators hugged one another joyously. 

“My son, I sense a great deal of growth in you since you have left on this journey. It will be a great honor for me to pass the crown onto you someday.” 

“Then I have one more request.” 

“And what is that?” 

Victor grabbed Yuuri’s hand and pulled him in close, “I wish for your blessing to marry Katsuki Yuuri as soon as I can, so we can rule the kingdom together side-by-side.” 

Alcandor smiled, “Of course, my sons.” 

Laughing, Eden added, “Please do! I don’t know what you did without him!” 

Victor kissed Yuuri and the cheering crowd roared with approval. When they pulled away, Yuuri could hardly stop looking at Victor’s eyes. He was in love. 

“As part of the new end to omega prejudice, King Eden will now present the heroes with the swords of honor.” 

King Eden came forth with two beautifully decorated swords in his hands. He bowed to the duo and held out the items. 

“In honor of your brave actions, we bestow upon you the greatest honor the kingdom of Grande has to give. The swords of honor will stand by you in battle and make your enemies tremble in fear at your greatness. Please, accept them as thanks from the kingdom of Grande to you.” 

Yuuri and Victor grabbed their swords, turned around, and held them for the crowd to see. The cheering drowned out even the noise given from projection spells. Yuuri looked into the crowd and spotted Balan, who was looking at his fathers with wide eyes. In that moment, everything was perfect once again. 

__________

 

Yuuri and Victor went on to become the kings of Grande. They ruled together with love and power and were loved around the kingdom. Their son Balan became next in line for the throne, never having imagined that his life could turn out so magical. Every day, Yuuri taught magic classes to omegas who wanted to learn of any age. Balan, Gio, and Vane attended regularly and became some of the top students. Victor went on to correct all of the wrongs his fathers left for him, making sure every town was corruption free and full of life. It became his life mission to leave a beautiful kingdom to his son someday. Speaking of sons, Victor and Yuuri went on to have two more afterward named Aldric and Rowan. After that, they had a girl named Eden. 

Yurio and Otabek mated and married soon after Victor and Yuuri. Otabek went on to become one of Victor’s top generals. His fighting was revered around the country. Yurio quit being a mage-knight and became a royal mage. He studied magical warfare, working closely with Otabek to plan attacks and strategize. The healers often came to him when they had questions, and he could always answer them. They adopted two young girls that fell victim to a neighboring attack. 

Minako retired after revealing her secondary gender as omega. She then went on to help Yuuri teach magic to omegas. 

Phichit got his own apprentice and continued to run Yutopia. His pupils were known to be some of the best royal mages, and Yuuri always looked to them when a spot was open. Some of them went on to become mage-knights, others opened their own taverns in different towns to help with the lessening corruption and prejudice. 

Chris… kept being Chris. Eventually, he settled down with a beta man, but it took him many years to be rid of his wooing streak. 

Seung-Gil’s underground fighting rings no longer had to hide. In fact, they became more of a sport that royals and civilians alike attended. With stricter rules and open arenas, they became more popular and safer than they ever had before. Kings Yuuri and Victor were often seen in attendance at the shows. They allowed alphas and omegas alike, and no one was underestimated. The Liberators either went on to help run the rings or became part of a secret team the kings sent on specialty missions to free prisoners. They were always successful. 

With all the progression in the secondary genders front, many kingdoms began to follow Grande’s example and released omegas from their rules. King JJ of Candea was the first to follow suit. 

Slowly, prejudice against omegas began to go away completely. Mage-knights started taking action against corruption and omega abuse. No omega felt the need to hide from the world anymore thanks to the love of two special people. Yuuri and Victor turned the kingdom for the better, and they would be talked about for generations to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT CHAPTER: Ten years later...
> 
> Thanks so much for always reading, liking, and bringing me love. You have no idea how much it means to me. This story has over 30,000 views. That's insane! Thank you all so much. I couldn't do it without your support. Honestly. 
> 
> The semicolon I used in this chapter goes out to my mother, who I had to explain semicolons too. 
> 
> I got a tattoo! Come check it out on my Tumblr [DancingAnya](https://dancinganya.tumblr.com/) . While you're there, come talk to me! I'd love to meet you!


	22. Ten Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years later in the royal castle...

“Aldric! Rowan! Eden! Where are you!” Yuuri yelled, looking around the castle for his children. They were playing a game of hide-and-seek, and those three were the best at hiding. Aldric, at ten years old, often led the game, but his father wanted to spend more time with them today. Rowan, at eight, was good at finding hiding places, but poor little Eden, at four, thought that covering her eyes was enough to be hidden from her father. Yuuri walked around her, pretending not to be able to see her standing in front of him. 

“Hmm, I wonder where Eden is.” 

She giggled. 

“Yuuri, my dear, I’m back!” 

“I’m in the drawing room, Victor!” 

Victor walked into the drawing room, saw what was going on, and smiled. 

“Where’s Eden?” He asked. 

She giggled again, a bright smile forming on her face. 

“I don’t know. I’ve been looking for her everywhere!” Yuuri laughed too. 

“Well, I think I found her!” Victor said, scooping Eden into his arms as she erupted into a fit of giggles. 

“Now I just need to find Aldric and Rowan.” 

“They’re in the window seat!” Eden shrieked. 

“Eden!” Rowan complained as he slid out from his hiding spot, “You weren’t supposed to tell!” 

Aldric followed suit, moaning about her always giving them away. 

Victor and Yuuri just laughed at their children’s antics. Yuuri turned to Victor. 

“How is Suele doing?” Yuuri asked, knowing that was where his husband just came back from. 

“Great. I talked to Seung-Gil while I was there and he said he never thought he’d see the day that Suele would be a safe place for his family.” 

Yuuri smiled fondly, “That’s so good to hear.” 

Victor looked at Yuuri’s smiled and couldn’t help but lean in and give him a kiss. The kids all shrieked. 

“Ew, fathers stop!” Eden said sticking her tongue out.

“I have to agree,” a new voice said from the doorway. 

Victor and Yuuri turned to see who was at the door. 

“Balan, you should be used to it by now,” Victor said, giving Yuuri a small lick on the ear that only Balan could see. He shivered but couldn’t help and find his parent’s antics amusing. 

At twenty years old, Balan was a grown man who was in training to take the crown. He accompanied his fathers almost everywhere to help with business. Though he couldn’t take the crown until he found a mate, Yuuri was confident that the kingdom would flourish under his rule. Since Balan was only twelve short years younger than Yuuri, he knew his and Victor’s rule would be short, but he didn’t mind. They had made a big difference in the kingdom in their time and that was what mattered. In fact, he was worried that Balan wouldn’t find a mate anytime soon. He wanted to concentrate on training his omega recruits without the burden of ruling a kingdom. 

“My kings,” a mage-knight who entered the room said.

“What is it?” 

“You have visitors.”

“Alright, we will be right there. Aldric, Rowan, Eden, why don’t you go find your grandparents.” 

The three kids ran off, shouting at one another that they’d find them first. As Victor, Yuuri, and Balan walked out of the room, Yuuri noticed that the mage-knight who fetched them was an omega. He smiled fondly. Ten years ago, this would not have even been possible. They walked down the hallway to find their visitors sitting in a room waiting for them. Upon seeing them, Yuuri’s heart filled with joy.

“Phichit! It’s good to see you!” He said, pulling his friend into a hug. 

“It’s good to see you too, Your Majesty,” he ended in a mocking tone. 

Yuuri only rolled his eyes. He was still glad to see his friend after all. Next to Phichit sat Chris who, despite leaving the order of the mage knights some time ago, still always seemed to be somewhere in the castle. 

“Chris, it’s good to see you too. How’s your husband?” 

“He’s doing well. I’m happy to report his ass is still plump as usual.” 

Victor and Yuuri laughed. Chris never changed. 

“So, do you have any business here today or are you just visiting?” 

Phichit straightened his posture, “Right. I’m pleased to be able to say that the taverns we have set up in other towns have been doing great. All of my former apprentices have been doing wonderfully!” 

“That’s good to hear.” 

“My oldest recruit is ready to go out and start his own tavern. I was wondering if you had any idea what town might find the best use for it.” 

Victor thought for a moment, looking at Yuuri. They seemed to come to the same agreement silently. 

“Balan, do you have any ideas?” 

Balan seemed surprised at his father’s question, “Me?” 

“Yes, you visit the smaller towns more than any of us. Do you have any ideas?” 

“... Well, the town of Barcelo hasn’t been doing as well as some of the others. Alpha’s there still take advantage of their power sometimes.” 

“Perfect. We will send Phichit’s apprentice to Barcelo. Thank you, Balan.” 

“Yes, that’s a great idea!” Phichit smiled at the young prince. 

Balan looked sadly at the ground, “Barcelo was where I grew up. To think that that tiny, scared little omega now how the power to help that town with only a word warms my heart.” 

Yuuri and Victor smiled at their son, “And much more will follow, dear.” 

“Say, Balan,” Chris commented, “What’s that dreamy look in your eye? Someone on your mind, eh?” 

Balan’s face turned bright red, “No, s-sir…” 

Chris smirked, “Please, if there’s one thing I know, it’s love. Tell us, who’s the special someone?” 

Balan turned away, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I have to go.” He rushed out of the room. 

“Chris! Why would you do that! We were so close to getting him to confess.” 

“Wait, you two already knew?” 

“Of course! Balan’s been leaving in the evenings every night and always comes back with a dreamy smile. We hoped that he would tell us on his own time.” 

Chris chuckled, “Sorry, my friends, I couldn’t help myself.” 

Phichit just shook his head disapprovingly, “You’re an absolute atrocity, Chris. I’m going to go see my nephews and niece.” He stood and walked out of the room, leaving his air of joking behind. 

“Well, Chris, I’m sure you want to catch up a bit. Yuuri, dear, I’m sorry to leave you-” 

“It’s alright. I have business to attend to anyway.” 

“Good. Come on, Chris, let’s go get some wine.” 

The two merrily made their way to out the door, leaving Yuuri alone with his thoughts. He stood up and went out the door, making his way towards the gardens. Today was the day. He tried not bring up a big deal about it, but he needed to go. 

Once he was in the gardens, Yuuri began moving his hands into the proper hand signals to take him where he wanted to go. He closed his eyes. Within moments, he opened them again to find himself in Hasetsu, his old hometown. The place hadn’t changed much since he last saw it, still as burnt down as ever. The docks were filled with abandoned ships, and the houses were all crumpled to the ground. He sighed. It was always sad to see this place, but he had to come. 

“Father?” A new voice whispered. 

Yuuri turned to see Balan standing behind him. Yuuri smiled softly, “Hello.” 

“What are you doing here?” 

Yuuri turned back towards the docks, looking over the town he once called home. He didn’t speak for a few moments, but he eventually opened his lips. 

“This is Hasetsu. Well, it used to be Hasetsu. It’s where I grew up.” 

“Really?” 

Yuuri nodded, “It used to be one of Grande’s best port towns. Famous for its hot spring inns. My family owned one.” 

“What happened?” 

“Twenty years ago today, a pirate clan conquered and burned the place down. They stole omegas, killed alphas, and took all of our valuables.” 

“Did they find you?” 

“Yes. They did, but I was saved by your grandfather Alcandor.” 

“Really? That’s amazing.” 

Yuuri smiled, “It is, isn’t it? For the longest time I hated those pirates, but my life would never be the same as it is today without them. It’s bittersweet really.” 

“Where did you live?” 

“I’ll show you.” 

The duo walked down the abandoned streets until they finally came to a large building that didn’t completely burn. The sign above the door read “Yutopia.” 

“Isn’t that the name of your tavern?” 

“Yes. Let’s go inside.” 

Once they made their way into the building, Balan got to see all of the damage that was caused. What was clearly once a gorgeous place was now in ruins, the life drained out of it. They made their way to the hot springs, where warm water still filled the pools. Yuuri looked at the floor. 

“This is where the pirates found me and my sister Mari. They killed her here.” 

“... I’m sorry, father.” 

“Don’t be. I came back days later and buried her. I never could find my mother and father though.” 

“What do you want to do?” 

Yuuri sighed, “I just want to sit in silence to honor the dead and the lost. You may go home, if you want.” 

“No, I’ll stay.” 

The two sat on the hot springs floor, silent. They stayed there for a long time. It almost seemed as if the spirits of the dead were talking to them, whispering reassurances and thanking them for their presence. 

“Someday, father,” Balan said in the middle of the silence, “I’m going to rebuild this town. It will be the best port town in Grande once again. I promise.” 

Yuuri smiled fondly at his child, impressed with him for what felt like the millionth time. 

“Thank you, my son.” 

"... Chris was right, you know." 

"I know. Who is she?" 

Balan blushed, "An alpha girl from Suele." 

Yuuri smiled, "I'm happy for you, dear." 

The two wandered back through the village, taking time to look at the fallen buildings and makeshift graves, before climbing back up the hill to look over the city. The wind blew through Yuuri’s hair as he remembered what it was once like in the lively city of Hasetsu.

“Let’s go home now,” Yuuri finally said. 

The two teleported away, finding themselves once again in the palace garden. 

“Yuuri! Balan! Where are you? It’s almost dinner!” Victor’s voice shouted. 

“We’re in the garden!” 

Victor, Chris, Phichit, and the kids all turned the corner to see them. The kids ran to their father and brought him into a hug. 

“There you are. Are you ready to eat?” 

“Yes,” Yuuri said, “just looking around. I’ll join you in just a moment.” 

“Alright.” The motley crew made their way to the dining hall, leaving Yuuri alone to look at the blue roses in the garden. He sighed, thinking about the life he lived and never wanting to take back a second of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you all for taking this amazing journey with me! I can’t believe how much love this story has gotten, and this was just what I needed to build the confidence in my writing skills to pursue it even further. I do plan on maybe writing some more one-shots in the future, but, for now, I’ve decided to focus on my own writing. Thanks again for everything you all have done, it means the world to me. I don’t want to stop hearing from some of you, so please feel free to message me! I’d love to talk about pretty much anything or even give pointers for your own writing. Meeting people and talking to them is one of my favorite things, and this has allowed me to share a bit of myself with all of you. Keep writing, keep going, stay strong. Love you! ^_^ 
> 
> That voice in your head telling you you’re not worth anything was put there by someone who was afraid of what you could become. Don’t let them win - make a difference.


	23. One shot??

Hi friends! Sorry to bother you, but I thought you'd like to know I wrote a one-shot for TTT! It's called "Treasured Time!" I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Stay cool my dudes.


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